The Prince of Dragons: Remastered
by Nobody'sHero98
Summary: Summary: What if at a young age Hiccup was taken away from Berk and raised by dragons. How would this affect his future? How would this affect his family, what would happen if Hiccup returned to Berk years later? (I deleted this once, it's back, don't expect consistency and or good grammar, I just want to finish this and move on) (Hiccstrid)
1. Chapter 1

The Prince of Dragons

by Nobody'sHero98

 _Summary: What if at a young age Hiccup was taken away from Berk and raised by dragons. How would this affect his future? How would this affect his family, what would happen if Hiccup returned to Berk years later?_

 _Some of you may or may not remember this shoddy piece of craftsmanship. I deleted because I was ashamed of it. Here it is though, from the bowels of the internet. I fished out it friends, after someone messaged me, asking for it. I asked them why and told me it was a great work of fanfiction. So, I brought it back…I'll be uploading a chapter a day. Once I get the editing done…and to that one person…thank you._

The Prince of Dragons

Chapter 1: The Raid

 _Long ago, in a time long forgotten, there were said to be dragons. In the far cold regions of the north, there were Vikings who fought these magnificent creatures. There were preposterously huge sea dragons that ruled the cold deep blue sea. Small dragons the size of beetles hunted insects and other small creatures that roamed in the fields. Vicious sky dragons that ruled the great heights above and hunted in well-organized packs. Now imagine for a moment that you are a small child barely a year-old named Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third. I know it's a longish name, but please try to remember it. But anyway, imagine you lived on a tiny island in the middle of the Barbaric Archipelago under the name Berk. That is where our story begins._

BERK

In the middle of the Barbaric Archipelago, there is a tiny island named Berk. Home to the tribe known as the Hairy Hooligans, led by Chief Stoic the Vast, Oh Hear His Name and Tremble Ugg, Ugh. Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third was Chief Stoic the Vast's only son and the rightful heir to the Tribe of Hairy Hooligans. Stoic the Vast was with his lovely wife Valka, they sat on the porch of their home overlooking the small Viking Village. They were a happy couple to say the least. Stoic the Vast was rather on the large side and pretty much what you'd expect from a Viking Chief. Loud, charismatic, strong and not the exactly the sharpest tool in the workshop, but not even close to blunt. He had a red beard that looked almost as if it had just been attacked by a violent bird of prey. His eyes were kinda overshadowed by his massive tangled mess of a beard, but they were deep blue pools that could pierce a hole right into your soul. Valka on the other hand was a little on the small side for a Viking Valkyrie. Valka was different to say the least, the runt of her generation. It took her four years to pass Hooligan Initiation, and even then, she only barely passed. Her appearance shared many similarities to her son, with short brown hair and pure emerald green eyes, she was average. Their son though was even more average looking, Hiccup was wrapped in a warm cloth, in the comforting hands of his mother.

They were just sitting there enjoying the nice evening sunset, as Dagr the God of days rule was coming to an end. It was a beautiful sight, that sunset, a magnificent orange and red mix that only got more beautiful as the sun descended. Valka looked down lovingly at her brown-haired baby boy, and his little green eyes. Hiccup wore small wool clothes that were dirt brown and not very interesting. To be honest Hiccup was odd for a Viking child, with a face that was entirely unmemorable. He was incredibly small for even a Viking Baby, he was just so oddly small, but that didn't matter to the Hooligan couple. Hiccup was asleep now, he was almost dead to the world in a way, if it wasn't for his small inward breathes, you could hardly tell he was alive.

"I love it when he sleeps, it's like watching an image of Thor the Thunderer."

Valka said with happiness in here heavenly voice. As far as the she was concerned, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third was perfect in every way. From his emerald green eyes to his small frail body, that little Hooligan Baby meant the world to her. Stoic smiled and then retorted back.

"Yes, Yes...I just wish he wasn't so much on the small side." Stoic replied.

"You're terrible!" Valka said with a smile. She knew Stoic thought that Hiccup was just as perfect as could be. The Viking Chief shrugged his massive shoulders.

"Hey, I'm only saying."

"Apologize to him."

"I'm sorry Hiccup."

Stoic said with a smile, as he softly gripped one of Hiccup's tiny fingers. Meanwhile, near Hooligan Harbor two Vikings patrolled from a watch tower. They sat on the observation deck, Bucket and Mulch, they were pretty much like most Vikings. Big, with muscles upon muscles but not a whole lot happening in the brain department. The two were watching the distant shores through spy glasses, watching for any sides of enemy ships or worse dragon attacks. Bucket and Mulch weren't exactly the sharpest arrows in the quiver. Especially Bucket who had been struck numerous times on the head by lightning throughout his life, it had a certain effect on his intellect...but it did make him an outstanding artist.

"Mulch why are we here again?"

"(Sighs) For Thor's sake Bucket, we're on patrol, watching for dragons or enemy ships. How many times have I told you that?"

"Umm…let me think."

"It was a question that didn't need answering."

"Oh…Um…sorry Mulch."

Bucket continued to look through his view finder, as the large husky man then said.

"Is that an enemy ship?"

Mulch looked through his view finder and sighed again.

"That would be an island…"

"Is that?"

"No that's another island."

"Is that?"

"No, that's a Roman Fleet."

"Oh…okay then…is that?"

"Nope that's a-

The two Hooligans hesitated for a moment and then looked back at a rather large Roman invasion force. With flags that read in Latin, the 8th Legion. Without warning, a large catapult fired a boulder at Hooligan Harbor. It slammed into the harbor crushing boats and part of the very gigantic dock itself. Bucket and Mulch rang the warning bell, which involved Mulch slamming a large metal object against Buckets head. The Hooligans quickly armed themselves with axes, swords, shields and other various metal weapons. Some of the Vikings manned the Catapults others made a defensive line at the harbor entrance to the village. All the while the Roman's began docking at the shores of Berk. At the heart of the defensive line was Stoic the Vast. The barbarian chieftain stepped forward with his brother Spitelout Jorgenson and his best friend Gobber the Belch at his side. Spitelout was a little bit thinner than his brother and had a face that may have reminded you of a bull. His hair was pitch black and his eyes as dark as two coals. Gobber on the other hand was a short man about the size of Stoic. He had no hair except for a twisted yellow mustache. The Blacksmith was also missing a left arm and a right leg. Also he may have had slack jaw but nobody really knew. The large beefy chief wielded an ax in one hand and a flash point sword in the other. Stoic turned to Gobber.

"What have we got?"

"Romans, a whole legion by the looks of it." Gobber answered.

"What do they want?"

Stoic the Vast asked, before he turned to his brother. Spitelout answered.

"Who knows, they just attacked us out of the blue!"

"Well, then there's only one thing to do." Stoic said sternly.

All the Hairy Hooligans smiled happily at each other. There Chief turned to his tribe.

"Let's give these Romans a warm welcome!"

The Vikings cheered, blood-lust in their eyes as they cracked there knuckles together and readied there weapons. All Vikings loved a good fight. The Hooligans waited for the inevitable, as Roman Soldiers began to charge up the docks. There was something odd about them, they were all frost bitten and had layers of ice wrapped over them. The Roman Soldiers dashed forward with little strategy. No formation, this was odd for the well-organized Roman war machine. But none of the Hooligans seemed to really care, they were angry at this sudden invasion. Rightfully so, in the traditional Hooligan manner, none of them asked any questions. The Romans with their cold icy weapons slashed at the Vikings. But for every slash the Romans made, the Vikings would only respond by bashing the Roman's heads in. Jorgenson ran into battle fiercely knocking out ten Romans at a time with his bare hands. Gobber was parrying dozens of sword blows at a time which was remarking seeing how he had a peg leg. But then the blacksmith Hooligan would swiftly slice at ten of the Romans. Every other member of the Hooligan Tribe also did a formidable job, especially the chief who was like watching a living weapon in battle. He twirled an ax around him with one hand and parried dozens of Roman blows with the other. This style of fighting was known as the 'Fighting Against Superior Numbers Maneuver' a skill that could only be performed by the most skilled of Viking warriors. More frost bitten Roman's ran in, but it was still not enough to take down the Hooligan Tribe. The attacking Romans eventually began to die down and bark bitter retreats in Latin. The Hooligans cheered and jeered at the departing Romans.

"Good Riddance!"

"Goodbye Filth!"

"Don't come back you toga wearing Jupiter Worshipers!"

Stoic smiled under his beard but his smile would soon fade as Valka dashed up to him. She was limping a bit and bleeding at the leg. The Viking woman didn't look angry, she looked down right terrified of something awful that happened.

"Stoic! Stoic!" Valka yelled at the top of her lungs.

Stoic looked at Valka in confusion and shock, he ran up to her as he sheaved his Sword and Double Headed ax. Valka nearly collapsed but Stoic managed to catch her before she hit the ground. He then noticed all the other Romans, at least fifty of them. Ransacking huts and houses, stealing all kinds of things, without even a command by their chief, the Hairy Hooligans rushed into battle as Stoic stood there as Valka then breathed out.

"They got him! They got him!"

"Who?! Hiccup!?"

"Yes! I tried to protect him Stoic! I really did but- there were-."

Stoic put a fat finger to his wife's lips. The Chief smiled as he grabbed out his double headed axe.

"It's okay Val, you did you're best, wait here. I have some Romans to Bash."

Valka nodded as tears nearly formed in her eyes. She thought the worst, what would happen if they had gotten Hiccup. The Hooligan Chief carefully placed Valka delicately on the ground and dashing over to be all the action was.

"I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU ROMANS! PREPARE TO FACE THE WRATH OF STOIC THE VAST."

Stoic cried out in anger as he began to follow the rest of his tried back into battle. Every single Hooligan fought with remarkable bravery and charisma as they proudly followed there chief. Pulling of a variety of moves and parries, and all while seeming to be having a good time, it had been quiet in Berk for the last few months. No raids, or dragon attacks, this added a bit of much needed excitement to the Hooligans lives. But Stoic didn't have time for fun, he was furious. Stoic the Vast rushed up the hillside battling Roman after Roman soldier. The Romans, like the ones retreating into the boats, were covered in thick layers of ice. This made them stiff and it was hard for them to effectively move around. Eventually after bashing the heads of dozens of frozen Roman Soldiers, Stoic made it to his home. He opened the door in the midst of wrath, to his shock there were no Romans inside. Frantically, Chief Stoic the Vast began to yell for his sons name in vain. He checked every part of the small Viking house until he eventually made to the upper level of the house. He looked on in pure horror to see a Roman General with a knife in his icy heads. Rocking carefully on a wooden chair with a deranged smirk on his face, and in his hands wrapped in a wool blanket was a small Hooligan baby. The Roman General was you're typical Roman only he had hardly any hair, let alone eyebrows or lashes. All of his body hair must have fallen off in some blizzard not too long ago. Also, he was shivering, and his teeth chattered into between sentences. In very terribly articulated Norse he said.

"Ello, there oh, big scary barbarian, yous have a beautiful child."

Stoic took a few steps forward in rage, ready to slice the Roman's head off with a flick of his fat wrists. But then the Roman edged the knife ever so slightly closer to Hiccup's head.

"I wouldn't be's moving if I was yous."

He said with a pale face that had miniature icicles hanging of the sides. Two more Roman soldiers came out from the shadowy sides of the house. Stoic tightened his grip on the weapons he held in his hands.

"We's sorry for this attack,we's really is, but we ran into a how do you say, Blizzard Storm."

The Roman General said still holding the knife dangerously close to young Hiccup's head. As the little baby snoozed on completely unaware of what was happening. Stoic grit his teeth in fury, he stood there annoyed and outraged. The Roman leader went on.

"We're cold and is in needs of food, now you's gives uses, all yous food then we will be ons our way. But if you fail to comply…yours boy wills be taking a nice dirt nap."

The Roman said with a twisted smile, Stoic looked as if he was going to explode. He didn't know what to do; they were Vikings, Hooligans nonetheless. Hooligans didn't surrender, nor did they negotiate with Romans. But then the Roman slashed at Hiccup's chin ever so lightly, so it would leave a permanent scar. Stoic grew fearful like any parent. But the Roman General then went.

"Nos, Nos, Nos, that's nots how's wes be doing this dance."

"If you dare hurt my son again."

"I wouldn'ts dreams of its. Just surrender now, or else."

With a great heavy sigh and a big hit to the Chiefs pride, Stoic dropped his sword and his ax. The frost bitten Roman smiled as the two guards escorted Stoic out of the house. Their swords to Stoics throat ready to send his guts to the ground. Needless to say, when they moseyed on down to the harbor entrance where all the Hooligans where stationed, they were a sight to behold. The Hooligans were shocked and surprised to see their mighty chief defeated. Many of the Hooligans looked down right infuriated, and where ready to fight and save Stoic within the blink of an eye. Even Stoic could have easily gotten out of that situation and bashed the frozen Romans heads in faster than you could say 'What Just Happened'. But the Hooligan Chief resisted, the life of his son was more important to him then his own. Hiccup meant the world to Stoic, if he died, then a piece of him would die as well. Stoic sideways glanced in rage to see the Leader of the Romans with that fiendishly sharp knife ready to cut his sleeping son into a million pieces. Valka approached Stoic and the Romans.

"Stoic what's happening...?"

She quickly examined the situation and noticed the small scar now present on Hiccup's chin. Valka went wide eyed as anger filled her eyes, she raised her sword, ready to kill the Roman bastard. But Stoic let out a hand and made her calm down. The Shield Maiden understood the situation...that didn't mean she had to like it. Stoic ordered his tribe to back down, they then begrudgingly were forced to hand over half of the food they had locked in storage for winter. This mostly conceived of fish, barrels upon barrels of fish. With bitter angry faces the Vikings handed them to the Frost bitten Roman Soldiers. The Leader looked at Stoic as the two lackeys let him go. The two great leaders watched from the docks of the harbor as the icy Romans loaded the barrels onto their war ships. Stoic was so annoyed and fixated on the lead Roman holding his son captive that he failed to notice the dozens of tiny red barrels being tossed onto Hooligan ships. The Roman smiled coldly as he forced Stoic to focus on him.

"Don'ts feel bads barbarian, me's ess thinks that well this is all over we'll be as far away from this place as possible. Gone's forevers."

"What are you even doing this far North anyway? If you don't mind me asking?"

Stoic said trying to make small talk. The Roman grew bitter, from the chief's comment, from his golden breast plate he pulled out a wanted poster with a sketch of a rather hideous brute of a man on it. Under the drawing it read.

**Wanted: Drago Bludvist**

**Reward: Gold**

**Crime(s): Dragon Rustling, Crimes against Rome, General Odor **

The Roman went on as his Frost-Bitten face seemed to lighten up a bit.

"Mr. Bludvist has been attacking and looting our ships. We only's wants him behinds bars. It's nothing personals. We chased him up North and got caught in blizzard, nows wes standing heres."

Stoic wasn't convinced. The Romans always had been a busy lot of organized fellows Hell-bent on taking over the world. As far as Stoic was concerned the only good Roman was a dead Roman. As the last barrel of fish was loaded onto a boat, the rest of the Hairy Hooligan tribe wandered down to the docks. Anger encompassing them, they were all thinking the same thing, 'Good Riddance, Roman Filth'. With a devilish smirk, the cold icy Roman patted Stoic on the back and then handed him the young heir wrapped in a thick cloth. Valka quickly limped up to the scene as the Roman Ships began to swiftly depart. The Chief's Wife grabbed her baby but then quickly realized something. She opened up the cloth to see that Hiccup wasn't there, Valka looked on in Horror as the Roman Leader leaped onto the main Roman Galleon. With a sharp point of her fingers, Valka cried out.

"Stop him! That Limpid Eating Roman Rube! He stole my son!" Valka yelled in a fit of rage.

Valka nearly went ballistic; it took the combined efforts of both Gobber and Spitelout to hold her down. Tears began to stream from her eyes as Chief Stoic quickly shouted.

"Quick! To the Boats!"

But then disaster struck, flaming arrows began to launch from the departing Roman ships. They slammed into the Hooligan war boats, preciously hitting each and every single red barrel. Those red barrel's must have been filled with some kind of explosive powder. Sending the war boats rising into the air in a fiery explosion, a third of the harbor lit up in smoke. The Leader of the Eighth legion then cried out.

"You won'ts bes leavings anytime soons! Don'ts follow us! Or wes killings you're son! It's funnies, you thought you won this battle! But wes dids instead! Isn't Fate Artistic!"

The Roman Shouted from his boat as he waved a hardy goodbye. Stoic was outraged by this sneaky treachery. He began to take off bits of his armor. Gobber the Belch grabbed onto one of his shoulders.

"What do ya think you're doing?!"

"I'm going after those ships! I'll swim if I have to, anyway I can, I'm going to get my son back!"

Spitelout interrupted as Stoics brother desperately tried to hold onto a now weeping Valka.

"Brother, you know that's suicide, those waters are treacherous, besides you'll never catch up to him."

The whole tribe looked onto Stoic sympathetically. They gave him looks of sorrow and even some of them took off their helmets as a sigh of respect to their great chief. Gobber looked him in the eyes.

"Stoic…face it, he's gone, I'm sorry."

Stoic looked out to the Roman Ships that seemed to be at least a mile away now. Without any Viking Ships to get into, the Hooligan Tribe was stuck there on Berk. Unable to help out there young heir. To make matters worse half of their food supply was stolen and it was the middle of winter. Over all it had been a bad day for the Hairy Hooligan Tribe. Stoic looked off into the distance and turned back silently, as the Hooligans bowed their heads in respect. They had suffered a great loss.

THE MIDDLE OF THE OCEAN

Night descended onto the world as Nott, the god of the night, went onto rule the darkness. After a few hours of sailing, the Romans were a vast distance away from Berk. They were in the calm desolate seas of the south. The Roman's looked up north, relishing in their victory over the Hooligan Tribe as their fleet and their war ships began to sail back to their familiar shores. They cheered and sang their Latin chants praising the Roman Gods for their victory. Many of the starving soldiers began to dine on mackerel and salmon over small fire contained on the ship. While that was happening, the Leader of the 8th legion sat in his war tent, his advisers surrounding him. He was debating what to do with the captured Hooligan Heir, the Leader of the Roman's looked down at the young infant in his hands. Still sleeping softly dreaming pleasant dreams, unaware of his current situation. A Roman centurion stepped forward, in his native tongue he said.

"I say we toss him into the ocean, be done with him. He's outlived his usefulness. "

Another centurion stepped forward.

"I say we take the little barbarian back to Rome. Teach him of our ways, who knows, he might be worth something in battle someday."

The other roman shot back.

"This skinny Viking, look at him, he has arms like spaghetti. It would be a miracle if he could hold an ax in the future."

The Leader sighed, while he looked back down at the small sleeping infant. Not really caring for the boy's fate himself he got and began to walk over to the deck of the Roman Long Boat.

"Your right, he does look rather on the small side. We should probably just drown him."

The Roman Leader was only a few feet away from the deck of the boat when something odd happened. Something big and massive hit the boat, sending vibrations through the haul of the ship. Some of the Roman's tripped and stumbled a bit. Instantly they were put on edge. Then another massive thump hit the long boat. This time it was louder, and it practically shocked the foundations of the galleon. The Leader set down the Hooligan Baby on one of the fish barrels and drew his double headed ax. With a great thunderous yell, he ordered the Roman's to man their battle stations. Everyone Roman Legionnaire grabbed their swords and their shields, they looked over the edge of their boats to see large shadowy objects. These shadows dwarfed some of the larger fleet boats. All of the 8th legion swallowed hard as the thumps on the ships became ever so common. 'Thump, Thump, Thump'. But the Romans were so busy looking at the sea below that they didn't notice the large swarm of dragons above.

The pack was filled to the brim with Deadly Nadder's and Gronckle's. Even a few Zippleback's and Monstrous Nightmares were in the large flock. All starring hungrily at the barrels upon barrels of fish. There was enough fish there to feed them and a certain large Alpha Dragon for at least a week. The Romans were far too enchanted by the twisted thumping to notice the dragons. Then without warning a Monstrous Nightmare fired balls of burning flames at one of the long boats. The Roman's screamed in terror as Dragons began to swarm over the Roman Ships. It was a horrific sight of slaughter. The Roman's didn't even stand a chance. They were worn out from the fighting with the Hooligan Tribe. Also, the Roman's like many people from the South didn't have any experience in fighting dragons. Many thought the creatures didn't even exist. The Roman's tried to push the dragons back with little effect. The dragons were just to strong. For the dragons it was like an all you can kill shmorgishborg, as they mowed down several of Rome's finest soldiers with a simple flick of their extra extendable claws. They ripped apart white sails that hung above the Roman's heads. Then for good measure set fire to the very same sails until they were dark ash. The Roman soldiers with their weak swords and flimsy shields tried to parry the constant sword cutting pain of the dragon's talons, fangs and fiery breathe. But this quickly proved useless.

The Leader of the 8th legion watched in absolute terror as his entire legion was massacred. Some died from injuries or severe burns. Others were eaten alive or thrown overboard and they drowned. But then came one of the final finishing blows to the 8th legion. A dragon faster than a bolt of Thor's mighty lighting came flying in at preposterously high speeds. It came in like a blur and with one fire blast that was more comparable to a mini-supernova came in and practically vaporized one of the boats next to the lead boat. The sea shock violently around the remaining Roman Ships as that same blurry dragon took down boat after boat, after boat. Other dragons made sure to collect the barrels filled with fish before that blur of a dragon took them down. Shakily the Commanding Legionnaire watched the battle unfold now cowering behind a large barrel of fish as dragons began to descend and take whatever food remained. But then the blur of a dragon did a remarkable thing. It descends onto the boat, the lead legionnaire peered over the barrel to catch glimpse at the unknown dragon. Which shocked him greatly; it was a Night Fury, known in these parts as the Unholy Offspring of Lighting and Death itself. It's skin a dark blue and it's body vicious looking...built for combat. What then followed sent every hair on the legionnaire upright.

A Deadly Nadder swooped by and took the Lead Roman's hiding spot. Leaving the Lead Roman there, starring the Night Fury dead in the eyes, in those ancient green reptilian slits, the eyes of a killer. With a gulp the Legionnaire attempted to grab his sword, but this was a foolish mistake. The Night Fury pounced on the Legionnaire and gazed right into the lead Roman's eyes. Within a few seconds, the Night Fury lost interest; the terrified sweating man was simply not worth his time. The Night Fury simply took its large paws off the Roman and began to turn away. The Legionnaire stood up, then the Night Fury swatted the Roman off the galleon with a flick of his tail. The leader landed hard into the soggy cold water. Then through the cold water, and his chattering teeth, the Lead Roman began to laugh crazily. Slowly at first but then that chuckle turned into an all-out maddening laugh, he thought he had escaped the cruel clutches of death. But Fate was not that kind to the Roman, he had spit into the face of the great typhoon one to many times. The Roman then looked around him to see a large dark green sea dragon circling him. This dragon was of course a Scauldron, the Lead Roman tried frantically to swim away, but then the Scauldron snapped the Roman by his legs and dragged the legionnaire down to the depths below. Causing the Roman to curse under the water as he desperately tried to get air. But his luck had run out and he died under the treacherous sea. Funnyâ€¦the man, who thought he outsmarted the Hooligans and escaped the narrow clutches of death, dies in the end. Now isn't fate just artistic?

THE LAIR OF THE RED DEATH

The Night Fury looked down from above at the raw destruction his pack had caused. The Roman Fleet was gone, the eighth legion destroyed. It was beautiful in a way. Twisted but beautiful, something about the burning flesh and wood in the middle of the ocean, there's just something about it that makes that scene beautiful. The Night Fury flew ahead of the pack of various dragons. He didn't carry anything, why should he? He's the heavy hitter of the pack, the one to come in to deal the final blow. But the various other dragons behind him carried exactly one hundred barrels of fish through the air. Some carried Yaks or Sheep and other animals of that nature. But the pack was really lucky to have hit a Roman Ship tonight. Within about an hour of flying, the dragons eventually made it to a large dark mountainous island. This island was hidden in layers of grey fog. The various breeds of dragon flew into the mountain side until they reached a narrowed out cave entrance. They flew inside, and then strangely enough, the dragons dumped at least half of the fish into a large pit. Several hundred fish, yak, and sheep were all poured down into a large pit with an orange to tinge to it. All of the Dragons perched up around walls gathering around the volcanic pit. A Deadly Nadder then flew in it only dropped off a small dead chicken, it looked tired and beaten. Almost as if the dragon had just come out of massive battle. The Deadly Nadder just hovered there for a second. A low growl could be heard at the bottom the pit. It was an enraged growl that would have given your worst nightmares, nightmares. Then a large Alpha Dragon with six bugs like eyes showed its ugly head. It then swallowed the Deadly Nadder whole, with no remorse. The Alpha Dragon then disappeared down into the cavern. The Night Fury looked on in disgust, but then quickly perched itself on a flat rock. Some of the other dragons landed on the same flat rock. All of them snarling and growling in Dragonese, The Language of the Dragons. As they conversed, some of the dragons dumped one of the barrels of fish onto the cold dark cavern floors. A Nadder looked down at the large orange hole were the Red Death once was. The Nadder shrieked.

 _"I hate the Master."_

 _"What else is new?"_ The Night Fury asked as it began to mindlessly chew on a few fish.

 _"No, I really hate the Master."_

Shrieked the annoyed Deadly Nadder as it looked down the hole. Alpha Dragons had this way about them that allowed them to control other dragons in a pack formation. Alpha's were like the Queen bee in a beehive. Most them were lazy killers who sat in solitary locations waiting for their next meal. Some were violent beasts who went out and waged pack wars with each other. Most of them were cruel and some of them weren't but most dragons weren't lucky enough to find a humble Alpha Dragon. The Nadder then spoke again.

 _"That was one of my brothers, we grew up in the Caliban Caves together, and then he just ended up dying like that despicable cannibal."_ The Deadly Nadder said again. A twin headed Zippleback interrupted.

 _"Just be glad it wasn't one of us."_

 _"Yeah, one of us."_

The Zippleback twin heads said with a cackle. The Night Fury began to pick at some of the mackerel. A lazy couple of acme covered Gronckle's joined the conversation.

 _"Look on the bright side; at least we get to dine on some nice Mackerel."_

 _"Yeah, just don't pig out like last time."_

The Nadder began to indulge itself in some of the fish, practically the salmon. It eyed the Gronckle's as they nearly choked on all the fish they tried to eat at once.

 _"You Gronckle's, the only thing you care about is your next meal. Look at yourselves; you're so fat and out of shape, it's a miracle you can even lift yourselves off the ground."_

The Gronckle's got angry and began to charge up their mouths for a lava blast. The Nadder quickly noticed this and readied the spines on its tail. The Zippleback egged the three dragons on.

 _"Fight! Fight! Fight!"_

 _"Yeah, Fight!"_

The Night Fury shot out a plasma blast that lit up the cavern floor. All reptilian eyes turned in fear to the Night Fury.

" _Quiet, I'm trying to eat."_

The Night Fury said angrily at his fellow dragons. All the dragons calmed down quickly and began to feast on the fish. Then something odd happened. Something began to rustle around inside the pile of fish. Every dragon practically sighed.

 _"Oh, great, another Terror got into the pile."_

One of the Gronckle's said annoyed. The Night Fury flicked away some of the fish until oddly enough for the dragons only a small baby human remained. A few of the dragons starred hungrily at the infant.

 _"Oh, it's not a Terror; it's something much more terrible."_

 _"Pesky little human."_

 _"Kill it now."_

The dragons said with malicious smiles in their fangs. The young Viking infant began to cry and scream for his mother. The Night Fury looked at the infant child and couldn't help but feel sorrow for the boy. With a swat of his tail, the other dragons stopped dead in their tracks.

 _"It's a child, not even a child, an infant, why should we kill it?"_

 _"Well what else are we supposed to do with it?"_

One of the Gronckle's asked if confusion, dragons and humans did not intermingle. Even when they did, it was kill or be killed, as the dragons would have to gather food for the Master and themselves. The most efficient and obvious way was to raid humans, and outside of brute force and violence, most dragons always thought of humans as dumb brutes. So, none of the dragons really knew what to do with the human, but reluctantly, the twin heads of the Zippleback answered.

 _"I say we smash it."_

" _I say we eat it."_

 _"I call the legs."_

 _"I call the hands."_

The other head responded. The Night Fury rolled its reptilian eyes.

 _"No... we raise it."_

All the dragons eyed the Night Fury in confused awe; the Nadder spoke the general disapproval.

 _"Have you gone mad? It's a filthy stinking human, they kill us for sport. And if they don't do that they chain us and then let their children kill us. Why, repeat why, should we let a human into our pack?"_

 _"If that Human was a dragon, would you not raise it like one of your own."_

 _"You're talking about two completely different things Night Fury; one day that human will be a vicious killer. Best get rid of him now before he kills one of us."_

Almost as if the young Hiccup heard those words the infant got about and began to crawl it's way over to one of the Gronckle's. Every dragon froze, not exactly sure what to think of the little mushy looking thing. The Hooligan baby then surprising hugged the Gronckle with its tiny frail arms and began to laugh playfully. Appreciating the affection, the Gronckle decided to give the young one a friendly lick. The Night Fury gave a victorious look to the Nadder.

 _"Yeah, you're right; he looks like a killer to me. Look out Gronckle; he might smoother you to death with his meaty little arms."_

 _"Fine he can stay, but if this thing turns on us, it'll be you who's feed to the Master, not any of us."_ The Nadder said, still voicing the disapproval.

The Night Fury rolled its large reptilian eyes and began to walk over to the infant Hiccup. With a small nip of his toothless jaws, he lifted the young infant by the cloth wrapped around him and placed him down away from the pile of fish. The Dragons then proceeded to eat there somewhat nice meal. Then for after the meal, many of the dragons drifted to sleep, they either perched up on the walls or the ceiling. That or they lied in gigantic piles around the cavern. The Night Fury found a flat patch to sleep on that night. Hiccup had already drifted off into an deep sleep and laid on the cold cavern floor unaware of anything. Unaware that he was no longer on his cozy little isle. Unaware that he could never see his mother or father again. The Night Fury carefully and quietly grabbed Hiccup again by the back of the shirt collar of the minuscule clothes he wore. Then he laid the Hooligan Viking down on the softest piece of rock he could find then, he curled up in a ball around Hiccup. Afterwards the Night Fury himself fell asleep.

BERK

That night in the Hooligan Village of Berk was a sad and depressing one. What should have been a night of celebration and joy turned into possibly one of the worst days in Hooligan history. The heir to the Hairy Hooligans stolen from the tribe, it was enough to break even the toughest men and women. Stoic the Vast had sat in his hut on his tenth glass of mead and still going. Valka had gone up to the master bedroom mostly to cry. The Chief thought it was best to leave her to it. The Hooligan Chief just sat there in the living room drinking. Thinking about all the things he was never going to be able to do with his son. He was never going to be able to go hunting with him, or fishing, dragon hunting, mountain climbing, and worst of all he wouldn't be able to watch his son, his own son. Grow up. That is if he was still...Stoic did not want to think about it. Stoic quickly poured himself another glass of mead, and then drank it. He loved his son, and the look on his face was one of despair, confusion and sadness. Stoic the Vast tried desperately not to think about it, he even said to himself.

"There will be other sons' other heirs."

But then it seemed even the wind was feeling sorry for him. Like a faceless man it entered the Chief's house and whispered in Stoics ears.

"But not like Hiccup, you've lost him, lost him forever and_ _ever and ever_."

Stoic tried his best not to tear up. But his eyes betrayed him, and he began to slowly blurt out tears. What kind of Chief was he? What kind of chief was unable to protect his own son?


	2. Chapter 2

The Prince of Dragons

Chapter 2: The Lava-louts

THE MIDDLE OF THE OCEAN

A Hooligan war party of no less than twenty of the tribes finest sat on a Viking long boat with cold determination. The boat was called the Lucky Thirteen, Gobber the Belch built the vessel in less than a day and it really showed. It wasn't exactly the most attractive sea fairing vessel, but it was a boat. But Chief Stoic didn't care about the look of the ship, he only wanted to know if it could at least get him to Rome. In which Gobber replied 'Oh, maybe, if you say a good prayer to Ãgir the Sea.' Though the hastily built ship was holding up surprising well despite its appearance. Stoic and company looked out at the quiet still waters. Nobody on board talked except for Stoic, it was almost dreadful.

"Steady helmsman."

Chief Stoic the Vast said as the Lucky Thirteen drifted into the muggy, foggy waters. They made a sharp turn, but then there was a 'Thump'. They had hit something in the water. The Hairy Hooligans instantly readied they're weapons. Several of the Veteran Vikings knew that the sound of that thumping meant nothing good. 'Thump', there it was again, that thumping. But many of the Hooligans quickly realized something, that dreadful sound was far to small to be a Scauldron, let alone a shark or the sharks' equally evil cousin, the Shark-worm. The Vikings then looked over the sides of the Lucky Thirteen to see the dead carcasses of Roman Soldiers floating in the water. They still wore there mischievous looks of terror on their frost bitten faces. This discouraged many of the Hairy Hooligans right of the bat. But not Stoic the Vast, he still clung onto the hope that is son was alive and well. But what made the matters even more discouraging were the remains of the Roman Fleet that had attacked Berk.

Ship remains still sat in the muggy waters drifting around the lifeless corpses of the Romans. Flames still burned from the dragon attack the other day. Some of the flames still tried to dance the ballad of life, while clinging to small pieces of dry wood. Other than that, the only other thing that stuck out of the water, were the Roman Soldiers, their bodies stiffer and colder than they had been when they were caught in that fierce blizzard. Stoic looked on in pure horror, he's wasn't sad no the Chief looked down right destroyed. He came to the horrible conclusion that his son had perished in an attack. Stoic quickly put to and to together when he really got a look at the charred remains of the Roman Vessels. Even some of the floating Romans looked like they were burned to a crisp. Stoic's brother Spitelout came by and put a hand on Stoic's shoulder.

"Brother, I'm so sorry, these Roman's will pay dearly for what they have done..."

Stoic grew a look of hatred; he knew who had killed his son.

"It wasn't the Romans, Spitelout; it was the Dragons, look around."

Stoic motioned to the various burned remains of Roman Galleons. Many of the Hooligans had to agree, this was a cut and dry dragon raid.

"Mark my words, for the death of my son, I will kill every dragon I come across, even if it kills me…"

The Hooligan Chief said with a combination of pride, sadness and just a hint of wrath. With great sorrow, the fellow Hooligans on board the Lucky Thirteen gave Stoic the Hooligan salute as a sign of respect. The Chief then sighed again, this time he only felt one emotion. Sadness, he rubbed tears out of his eyes when they tried to form. Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, his only son was dead. With that the Hairy Hooligan's drifted back towards Berk, they're spirits zapped.

THE RED DEATH'S LAIR

7 YEARS LATER

Much had changed over the past seven years all around the Barbaric Archipelago. Practically in the Red Death's Dragon nest, years ago the dragons living there adopted a Viking Baby that somehow managed to get himself into a barrel of fish the dragons stole on a raid against some Romans. Years passed by and the young Viking grew into a surprisingly skinny boy. His hair was a chestnut brown and his eyes still a magnificent emerald green. The boy's face was almost entirely forgettable; the same could be said about the boy in general. He was just so ordinary. Hiccup didn't really have clothes or anything of that nature, so he often would ask the dragons to bring him back something to wear from one of their raids. Hiccup couldn't go with the pack just yet, he was still only eight years old and a human. Most dragons, even after getting to know Hiccup, were still a little weary around him. Humans weren't exactly the cuddliest of creatures in the ferocious eyes of the dragons. Though Hiccup was probably the only exception, he was surprising good company. Always in awe of his siblings, and in a pleasant mode.

Hiccup wore a very baggy grey distasteful shirt that had all kinds of stitches across it. He also wore yak fur pants that were two sizes too big and three sizes two wide. Dragons didn't exactly have ideas of what clothing fit and what didn't for well, obvious reasons. So, Hiccup was often left with clothes that were unbelievably baggy on him. But Hiccup didn't seem to mind so much. The young boy sat on a comfortable rock writing in his 'Dragonese Book' as he put it. It was made from old book pages and scattered cloth that used to be Hiccups old clothes. Anyway, Hiccup's Dragonese Book contained various sets of information on things, from all the different species of dragons to the language of Dragonese which the dragons had taught him. He also learned the language of the Vikings from this book which the Dragon's called Lumpkin tongue. It was a bizarre language punctuated by shrill shrieks and popping noises and sounded most spectacular, when spoke by a human. Anyway, as Hiccup continued to write in his Dragonese book, sure enough the pack came back from another successful hunt. Hiccup watched in anticipation as the various species of dragons began to throw half of their weekly catch into the large orange pit. Thankfully though, this week, no dragons were eaten alive by the Red Death. Hiccup smiled as the Night Fury descended next to him. The boy hugged the large dark blue dragon.

 _"Hey bud, how was the raid?"_

Hiccup asked in surprisingly good Dragonese accent. The Night Fury sighed as he curled up in a ball.

 _"Fine, we raided some humans over in the North, the ones that are all female…Bog Burglars, they call themselves."_

 _"Cool…"_

Hiccup said in absolute amazement, as he always did when the Night Fury said something. He looked up to that dragon like an elder brother. The Night Fury nodded sleepily before shutting his eyes and trying to drift into sleep. Hiccup then asked.

 _"So…um, Bud, can I-_

 _"No."_

The Night Fury snorted in Dragonese with his eyes still shut.

 _"Awe C'mon! I didn't even get to ask the question-_

 _"No."_

 _"Please, I just want to go on one raid! I'll never ask for anything again!"_

 _"For the last time no."_

The Night Fury said aggravated but keeping his cool, Hiccup stormed off annoyed, he went over to some of the other dragons who were feasting on some freshly killed Yaks. They had lit a small fire over what used to be part of a Yak's rib cage and other fleshy bits. Around the fire were a couple of Nadder's, Zippleback's and Gronckle's, and even a bright red Monstrous Nightmare. Hiccup sat angrily next to one of the Gronckle's as he reached for a small piece of Yak leg. He began to eat it distastefully. A Gronckle looked over at Hiccup.

 _"The Night Fury said no again, didn't he?"_

 _"Yep, again, I just don't understand it."_

 _"I'm sorry about that human."_

 _"Thanks."_

Hiccup said trying to lighten up as he continued to bite into the roasted Yak. A Deadly Nadder looked over at the depressed boy as it groomed itself.

 _"It's okay human, he'll eventually take you on a raid with the rest of us."_

 _"When?"_

 _"When you're old enough."_

Again, Hiccup couldn't help but sigh. He looked over at the other dragons surrounding the fire they were all doing various things. They didn't have names, why should they? They were animals and all different in various ways. They could easily distinguish one another through there scent or their color. Dragons had no concept of names, and as far as Hiccup was concerned nether did he. Every dragon species was doing their own thing. The Gronckle's were eating Yak bits like overstuffed pigs with bad skin problems. The Nadder's were grooming themselves carefully like how a cat would. The Zippleback's slumped around eating small chunks of whatever they could find. While the Monstrous Nightmare slumbered similarly to the Night Fury, Hiccup looked back and he smiled. In short, these dragons were his family in a way. They cared for him, they brought him food to eat, clothes to wear. Even books to read and write in every so often. But despite all this, Hiccup always felt like an outcast to the pack.

He was the odd little human boy that the Night Fury adopted, and in truth that's how Hiccup felt. Hiccup held his head down in depression; he got out his Dragonese Book. He flipped to the back and looked at the back page. In the back page was a drawing picture of Hiccup and his 'family'. From fattest Gronckle to Sleekest Monstrous Nightmare, they were all there, or as many as he could put into the small page. Even the Red Death, which in small Dragonese lettering read 'Mom'. To be honest Hiccup didn't really have any parental figures around the dragon pack. There was the Night Fury and countless other dragons, but they were more like big brothers or sisters than anything else. Even though the Red Death was a terrible, hideous, beast from Hel, oddly enough it was the closest thing Hiccup had to a mother. But even so, Hiccup had only seen her a few times in his life. That was usually when a dragon was eaten alive by the freakishly large Alpha Dragon. Swallowed whole, never to be seen again. They had never exchanged words, never even spoke, to one another. But she didn't eat Hiccup so as far as Hiccup was concerned that was a good sign. Hiccup closed the book, he sighed and muttered to himself in Dragonese.

 _"(Sighs) I'm never going to get out of this cave."_

Hiccup had always wanted to see the world from the outside. He had read various things about it in the books the Dragons occasionally gave him. He read about men the size of yaks with these hairy things called beards that twisted and turned around there faces. Planks of wood that could walk on water and move as fast as a Scauldron. But what fascinated Hiccup the most was the Blacksmith book a Gronckle had gotten him. And by that I of course me that the acme covered dragon coughed the leather-bound book up after it got stuck in its three-foot fangs. Hiccup was instantly fascinated by all that the book had to offer. It talked of weapons called axes that could slice trees in two with a single blow. Swords that could be used to preciously gut an opponent, blocks of circle and square wood with metal casing called shields and various other things were mentioned in the book. The pack would often discourage Hiccup to read some of the books they had gotten him. That was entirely because obviously dragons and humans did not get along with each other very well. Now imagine you're a dragon listening to a small boy read about an ax that had killed so many of your brothers or sisters with the utmost enthusiasm. It was not exactly fun for the dragons to hear about weapons of cold steel and iron. In turn, Hiccup would often hear horrific stories about savage humans who slice the heads off of dragons for fun and then imprison the lively caught ones in claustrophobic prisons. That was so the younger generation could kill them. Those stories were sick as far as Hiccup was concerned. But Hiccup had never met any other humans, so he also thought some of the stories told where just huge over-exaggerations. But alas, none of these things from the outside were for Hiccup, he was the stay at home human. Kinda like how a dog greets its master when he returns home. The dragons looked over at Hiccup in sympathy.

 _"Ya know human, the Night Fury is just trying to protect you."_

 _Hiccup looked up at the Monstrous Nightmare. Its voice purred out in a comforting fashion._

 _"Really? How come?"_

 _"He probably sees himself when he looks at you."_

This confused Hiccup.

 _"What? How?"_

A few of the older looking dragons with various battle scars shared in a chuckle.

" _Believe it or not, the Night Fury wasn't born here, nor the Caliban Caves, he was born in the far north where only the strongest survive. He was a loner, who fought claw and fang just to keep the wings on his back. Until he heard the Master's music, he came running here like the rest of us. Let's just say he didn't welcome us in with open claws. He was fierce and violent always trying to fly away, that is until Master called him back. But the Night Fury realized something he had a family, that cared for him that wanted to keep him safe and fight alongside him."_

Hiccup looked back at the Night Fury; he saw that the magnificent dragon was now in a deep sleep. He couldn't believe that the pride and joy of the dragon pack was once an awkward loner. The young Viking then starred back at the Monstrous Nightmare.

 _"Boy, when you came to our little refuge, he saw a loner, someone who needed guidance, a purpose. He just wants to keep you see be safe, and for you to find your way."_

Again Hiccup sighed.

 _"But that's the problem; I want to get out of this place for a change, I want to see the world, and I…I just wanta be like one of you guys."_

Hiccup said with a frown before walking off and collecting his things. The Dragons sighed, they began to look at the situation from Hiccup's perspective, and then they all glanced at the slumbering Night Fury. A single thought crossed their minds as Hiccup found a nice cavern corner and sat there reading about the world.

BERK

Today was a gloomy day on the isle of Berk. Thor, the God of Storms, apparently thought it would be an excellent idea to send a storm over to the tiny Hooligan Island. A storm that had been going on for the past ten days, though rain was very common on Berk. In fact in the Hooligan Dialect there are over twenty eight different names for rain. But rain was the least of a certain Hooligan Chief's worries. It was Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third's Birthday, around this time of year it was extremely depressing for Chief Stoic the Vast. He sat in his hut messing with a fire pit, trying to get bigger flames to burn. But then he stopped when he heard the sad tears of a depressed woman. Stoic looked up toward the upper level of the house. He got up and completely stopped what he was doing. Slowly Stoic walked up the stairs to Hiccup's room. Valka was weeping as she stood next to Hiccup's old crib. With an old toy that Hiccup used to have in her smooth Viking hands. It was a small stuffed toy dragon that she made for Hiccup a little while before he was born.

"Val?"

Stoic asked.

"What's the matter?"

Valka turned tears streaming gently down her face.

"It's his birthday he would have been eight years old today."

The Hooligan Shield Maiden said trying to force a sad smile but ultimately, she only shed more tears. Stoic walked over to her.

"I thought we agreed not to talk about 'him' anymore, Val it's been seven years-

Valka then angrily slapped Stoic across the face.

"How dare you! He was your son! OUR SON! Now he's gone! Probably dead!"

Valka screamed with misguided anger toward her husband. Stoic hugged her for comfort. She was right about one thing though. Hiccup was gone. It had been years and after countless attempts at trying to find Hiccup, the tribe just gave up. The Chief of the Hairy Hooligans efforts were fruitless. But Stoic had his chiefly duties to distract from the loss of his son. Chief Stoic was always busy always had something to do. He could bury his emotions under his work. But Valka, she mostly stayed at home, she did the cooking, fishing, cleaning, and other things that your typical Viking women would do. The loss of Hiccup hit her harder than anything else. Stoic sighed but then whispered into his wife's ear.

"Look, Val we need to move on, but I'm not saying we should forget about him completely. But he's gone forever…"

Valka looked into the sympathetic eyes of her husband. It was clear that he was just as torn about losing her son as she was. Slowly but surely, Valka unwrapped herself from Stoic's meaty arms and placed the stuffed dragon on Hiccup's crib. She then slowly walked away and down the steps to the down floor. Stoic looked at the room that used to be his sons. Again, he sighed but then followed Valka down the steps, dragging his feet miserably down the stairs. When he reached the bottom, Stoic rubbed something out of his eyes and then went back to poking the fire as Valka went into the kitchen to go make lunch. They did not say a word to each other for the rest of the day.

THE RED DEATH'S LAIR

Night descended onto the world again. Hiccup rested on a soft patch of dirt, just thinking about life outside the cave. All his life he had been inside this dark mostly damp cave, he just wanted to get out. All the other dragons were still alive and awake. Snarling and shrieking dragon insults at each other while fitting over space or a stray mackerel or two. The Red Death's lair was alive with energy. Most dragons didn't need much to entertain themselves, nor much sleep, that is until winter when they would hibernate for the coming freeze. But in the far regions of the cave, the elder dragons watched Hiccup. The Night Fury and a few of the elder dragons looked at the boy from a far, speaking in quiet barely hear able Dragonese just watching him as they're eyes flickered like ominous candles in the darkness.

 _"I'm not letting him go out there…"_

 _"Why not? You can't protect him forever Night Fury, he's going to get out there eventually, and besides, it's best he sees what his kind is capable of now rather than later."_

A dark silver Monstrous Nightmare spoke with reason. The Night Fury only grunted at this response. The brilliant red Monstrous Nightmare from earlier then said.

 _"You should let him go, just this once, he'll love it. It'll do that pale crabstick some good."_

The Night Fury turned to the red Monstrous Nightmare, pure anger was in its pitch grass green eyes.

 _"No, he'll get himself killed, besides when he sees what his kind is like he'll immediately abandon us and go live with them. He'll be turned into another mindless killer."_

 _"You know he won't do that...""_

A Nadder said with a soothing voice, the Night Fury then responded.

 _"No I don't know, but I do see your points, one raid, that's all he gets. If he does good maybe another one, if I think he's good enough for it."_

The dragons nodded happily and even some of them smiled their odd smiles filled with rows of sharp fangs. The next day was clear and perfect as could possibly be, the sun shone with a brilliant gold tinge. Not a single storm cloud for miles, the birds were singing as well as the Terrible Terrors and there was a crisp warm feeling in the air. Though Hiccup couldn't enjoy it, the caverns that housed the dragon pack were so hidden from the world that not a single shred of sunlight made it through the pitch blackness. In fact Hiccup had never even seen the sun his entire life, he had spent most of his life in the caves so he was a little on the pale side. Hiccup remember the sun vaguely along with his parents, every now and then he would see glimpses of them. Glimpse of two happy people, Hiccup always wanted to meet his parents, just as much as he wanted to visit the outside world. Though the young boy figured he'd probably never see the outside world...but that was all about to change soon. Hiccup laid against a rock that and began to slowly doodle whatever came to his mind. The Night Fury walked over to the small brown hair boy.

 _"Morning Bud..."_

Hiccup said trying not to sound sad, he was still depressed about not being allowed into the outside world. The Night Fury sighed a bit under his breathe but then said.

 _"Human, the pack and I have been talking. We think it's time you've gotten out of these caverns and went on a hunt with us."_

The brown-haired boy looked at the Night Fury in a combination of excitement and pure joy. He leaped into the air and said enthusiastically.

 _"Oh my goodness!? Are you for real! You're not messing with me, are you?"_

 _"No, C'mon were leaving soon."_

 _"Oh thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"_

The Night Fury smiled a grin that bore no teeth at the hyper little eight-year-old. (The Teeth of a Night Fury were retractable). But Hiccup then quickly calmed himself down, he respectfully bowed to the Night Fury while still holding a smile. Hiccup then took a deep breathe in and held out his right hand. The Night Fury then put his head against Hiccup's hand. This was a sign of trust among dragons. If Hiccup showed fear, then he wouldn't be ready to do what no human has ever done before. He wouldn't be able to ride a dragon. The Night Fury backed away and stretched out its back. Hiccup then carefully and cautiously got onto the back of the Night Fury. The Night Fury then stretched out its jet-black bat-like wings and readied for flight. Hiccup looked around to see a massive barrage of dragons above him in a swarm-like formation, all of them getting ready for the hunt. The eight-year-old boy grabbed onto to the Night Fury's horns and held on for dear life.

The Night Fury then raised its wings and burst through the air of the dark caverns at lightning speed. Hiccup was stunned by the insane sped the dragon flew at, some much so he was barely able to even hold on to the Night Fury. The Night Fury like many of the other dragons navigated through the caves with ease and eventually made it to the exit of the Red Death's Lair. Then Hiccup saw it for the time in years. The glorious yellow ball in the sky known as the sun, Hiccup put one of his hands in front of his face as he gripped the horn of the Night Fury tighter with the other. He was astonished by the view; the sights of the crystal blue sea the rocky sea stacks that went on for miles. The majesty of nature in general, Hiccup smiled a great big smile for he was truly seeing the world for the first time in his life, and what a way to see the world for the first time. Hiccup had grown up in darkness his whole life, the most colorful things he saw where the dragons. But the world now to the eight-year-old was like a massive explosion of colors. It was truly a spectacular amazing sight to behold. Hiccup watched as the pack began to dive into Ãgir's mighty sea in gigantic dive bombs. The various dragons would come out with fish half the size of fully grown yaks. Hiccup looked around some more, and lifted his hands off the Night Fury, raising them happily in the air and shooting out a triumphant.

 _"YEAH! THIS IS AMAZING!"_

The Night Fury smiled a vague smile as the young barbarian continued to enjoy the feeling of soaring through the air.

LAVA-LOUT ISLE

Eventually after a few hours of soaring through the beautiful clear blue skies above had turned black and smoggy. The army of dragons eventually landed on the rocky shores of a small island in the Barbaric Archipelago. This isle belonged to one of the Six Grand Tribes. The Six Grand Tribes included the Hairy Hooligans, the Bog Burglars, the Berserkers, the Lava-louts, the Hysterics and the Meatheads. There were other tribes like the Ugly Thug's, but the Ugly Thug's whose territory stretched from the mainland to as far as the east, were a bit crude to say the least. The Ugly Thug's where like the Roman's where a little to bossy and organized to be a Barbarian Tribe. Most of the Six Grand Tribes while allies, did frequently raid, pillage and plunder from one another out of spite and pure ignorance. Vikings were a weird merry lot around this time period, to this day nobody really understands the rhythm or reason why they acted like this. But anyway, this island was Lava-Lout island. Lava-Lout isle was named for the obvious massive volcano that loomed above the Lava-Lout village. It was a land of mostly rock and not much else. Truth be told it was a series of three small islands that where narrowly connected by a few tiny bridge-like rock formations. The pack landed an island away from the Lava-lout village, as not to be seen by the Lava-louts. Hiccup gave a confused look, as he slowly and respectfully got off the Night Fury as a few of the tougher and wiser dragons loomed over him.

 _"What are we doing here? I thought we were gonna raid a village."_

Hiccup asked in Dragonese, a dark green Zippleback responded.

 _"Oh, we are."_

 _"Just not yet."_

 _"It's too early."_

 _"Far too early."_

The Night Fury looked into the eyes of the young Hiccup.

 _"What the Zippleback is trying to say is that we're going to raid until night fall."_

A Monstrous Nightmare interrupted the conversation.

 _"When we have the advantage, but for now we need you to do something human."_

Hiccup swelled up with pride, he was overjoyed, for years he was that human who lived amongst the dragons and was just there. But now, the dragons were entrusting him with an important task. The young barbarian, wanting to prove himself, smiled happily as he then said.

 _"Yes, of course, anything."_

 _"We need you to mingle amongst the humans, learn were everything is, and free any of our cold-blooded prisoners of war... then we strike."_

A vicious looking Nadder said as it groomed itself.

 _"Why?"_

Hiccup asked politely in Dragonese. The Night Fury answered.

 _"We haven't raided these humans in years and us fire-breathers aren't exactly known for our sharp keen memories, so we need you to go forward, learn what you can then report back later, if you're not back by sundown you'll see us in the raid, good luck human."_

Hiccup nodded quickly before turning around and setting off toward the village. As the dragons just sort of lounged about, playfully fighting with each other, or diving into the nearby waterfront looking for fish to eat and sharping their talons against durable rocks. The Night Fury and elder dragons watched as Hiccup departed. The Silver Monstrous Nightmare looked at the young Night Fury oddly.

 _"You're testing him, why; the boy's never met any other humans in his life, he'll think they're strange and odd, what's the point?"_

 _"It's simple, if the boy wants to live with the humans, he'll stay with them and fight if them. If he wants to live with us, he'll fight with us then he'll truly be one of us."_

A few of the elder dragons admired the Night Fury's bold move. He was basically letting Hiccup decide whether he wanted to stay with the dragons or the humans, while at the same time not forcing him to do anything. The Night Fury wasn't forcing Hiccup to decide; he was simply letting him choose his own path.

 _"You might wanna get some rest, t'll be a tough battle ahead."_

With that the Night Fury breathed a deep blue flame against the cold shifting sands and laid down in it while curling up into a ball. Many of the elder dragons followed suit as they rested up for the inevitable bloodshed to come. After walking at a brisk pace for a few short miles, Hiccup eventually made it to the rocky bridge that connected the island he was currently on to the mainland. The rock formation was very much like an arched bridge without the nice finish. Also, it was narrow and jagged, much like a steep rock formation should be. Hiccup with a sweaty nervous face, grabbed onto a stolid looking rock and began to climb to the thin top of the formation. Within the span of about a minute, the young Viking had already reached the top of the rock bridge. Unfortunately, Hiccup took this inopportune moment to strike a small glance downwards. The sheer height was terrifying, it's one thing when you're on the back of a dragon that would do everything it's power not to let you fall. It's another thing when you're a svelte boy that only stood four feet tall looking downward upon death. Hiccup swallowed nervously as he carefully stepped and balanced on the rocky structure. Hiccup inched forward very slowly and steadily, taking huge breathes of air in each and every painstaking step. What made it worse was the singing of the Terrible Terrors that circled the bridge. Terrible Terrors where like seagulls in that regard, always laughing and mocking those less fortunate with their shrill cackles. They sang.

" _Oh, Human who serves the lofty mountain queen, may your step be solid and true. For you're as thin as a crab stick and have a face-like a haddock. Keep walking human, walk to the uncivilized brutes that kill all of the great cold blooded one's, keep walking...keep walking...keep walking."_

Hiccup gulped as he happily obliged to the Terrible Terrors. But after much perseverance, Hiccup finally managed to make it to the end of the bridge. He breathed a sigh of relief as Hiccup then strolled over to the Lava-lout village. It was a very odd village, but somehow breathe taking. Everything was made from steel and shining iron or some other metal object. Some of the huts had a dull rusty tinge to them from being out in the elements. It was a lively town filled with men and women dressed in uncomfortable black sleek suits. These suits were actually flame retardant because they were made from a very specific cloth that didn't burn. The Lava-louts had developed these suits, so they could live easier in the tough conditions of the volcanic island. The young boy was fascinated by all the goings on of the town. His head was practically turning in each direction as he watched everything he could. Children played games like Bashi-ball and Smash Sticks on Land. Adults did they're daily routines and duties. Shepherds lead livestock to their proper fences. Traders sold various goods and foreign objects. All of it just brought a happy grin to the young boy's face, they didn't have anything like this in the Red Death's Lair. Hiccup gazed every direction in awe, he had never seen anything like this. Most of the Lava-lout villagers ignored Hiccup, so the young brown-haired boy went rather unnoticed. But then Hiccup remembered why he was here, his pack had sent him in an important task. The young boy sighed, he would of loved to have just stayed and go around meeting people, getting to know the culture. But Hiccup sucked it up, his family was waiting for him. Hiccup sneaked around, and ease dropped on some of the barbarians. He quickly found out where everything is even if he could only understand every third word. As stated earlier, Norse is not exactly Hiccup's strong suit. He also strolled around finding out where everything was just by wandering the village. But then Hiccup saw something that caught his eye. It was a blacksmith's shop; the shop was nothing more than a workshop that had a small window. But behind the Blacksmith's workshop was a pile of odd weapons. A sign a few feet across the pile apparently read 'unusable'. The pile was practically a mountain of daggers, swords, spears, axes, crossbows, maces and other weapons. You name it was there. But there was something off about these metals. They were in what many might say perfect condition. The Lava-louts prided themselves with having skilled crafts men and blacksmiths. If even a sword was just one centimeter longer than it should be, the Lava-louts would see it as worthless and simply toss it. Anyway, Hiccup wandered over to the large pile of metals and began to scavenge through the pile. He was hypnotized by the metals; it was just mesmerizing to him after reading about many of these in his blacksmith's book. Eventually as Hiccup continued to dig through the metals, he heard a loud thunderous voice say.

"What in the name of Thor and Odin are you doing rummaging through my scraps!"

Hiccup was paralyzed for a moment; he shivered with fear, while slowly turning to face a Lava-lout blacksmith. He stood out of the shop's backdoor with a well-polished sword in his hands. This man was covered in layers of sot that oddly gave a black tinge to the Viking who unlike the rest of his tribe didn't wear a flame suit. The man was you're typical six-and-a-half-foot Viking covered from head to toe with clothes that barely fit him. Hiccup scanned the man with his eyes, not daring to utter a word. That is until the blacksmith boomed out.

"Well go on! Explain yourself!"

Hiccup took a deep breathe in as sweat poured from his face. His swallow hard and then said.

"I-I'm so-rr-ry, Sir…I w-was just-t l-ooking-g for a-a-a weapon."

The young boy stammered out in surprising good Norse, well good considering it was his second language. The Blacksmith then said.

"Oh! You were, were you? Well even though these weapons are completely and utterly useless, that doesn't give you the right to take what isn't yours!"

The Blacksmith said as raw red rage began to shimmer through the black sot. He was very critical with his craftsmanship it seemed. Hiccup then said a little more confidently.

"But sir, I think you're being just a whee bit hard on yourself."

Hiccup said before grabbed a beautifully decorated sword out of the pile.

"See...it works fine."

It was a long flashpoint heart slicer that had a blade which was long and narrow. The sword had an image of a Monstrous Nightmare carved into it, the symbol of the tribe. (Lava-louts were once known for being able to tame wild Monstrous Nightmares and us them to attack their enemies, similar to the Beserkers with the Skrill). The Blacksmith grew pale under the sot.

"What did you say about that sword, boy?"

The Blacksmith said with his voice shockingly calm. Hiccup then made a few good swings with the blade.

"See, it still works fine."

"WHAT!? YOU NOVICE, YOU WOULDN'T KNOW QUALITY IF IT BIT YOU IN THE ARSE!"

"I don't see what's wrong with it."

"IT'S TO FLIMSY!"

The Lava-lout Blacksmith said in a voice so loud the dragons back on the beach could have heard it. He then walked up to the skinny Viking and snatched the sword out his frail little hands. Then with his bare hands, the Lava-lout broke the sword in two. This caused to large deep blood cuts to appear on the Blacksmith's hands. Hiccup stepped back in horror as the Blacksmith then said.

"Boy! You're obvious not from around here, where ye be from?"

"Um…uhhh."

Hiccup hesitated for a great deal of time that is until he looked down at the weapon pile he stood atop. There was a sword dedicated to 'The Great Heir to the Bog Burglars.' Hiccup smiled shakily and said.

"I'm from the isle of the Bog Burglars."

The Blacksmith was about to yell another ear bleeding scream but then when Hiccup said those words with a straight face. He took a moment to collect himself. Then the Blacksmith finally said.

"Oh, boy you do realize the Bog Burglars are a tribe of all 'women', so tell the truth!"

Hiccup hesitated again, but then rapidly nodded his head up and down. The young Viking smiled nervously as he then awkwardly explained.

"Yes, yes, but you see I was born a boy and they didn't love me enough, so they kicked me outâ€¦ ya know tribe of women-

"So they kicked ya out, huhâ€¦ I get it. You're a nomad, a drifter."

"Yes. That's me, Nameless the Drifter, at your service."

Hiccup said while lying through his smiling teeth. The Blacksmith calmed down a bit now; he seemed to of understood Hiccup's supposed, true story and life problems. Symphony was in his milky eyes, the Tribes of the Barbaric Archipelago often felt sorry for loners and nomads, or people who generally didn't have a home.

"Ya must be a duffer head if ya came to Lava-lout territory wearing that."

The Blacksmith said gesturing to Hiccup's baggy clothes. Hiccup was about to ask why, when the island experienced a slight tremor. Hiccup stumbled a bit before he fell to the ground. An earthquake shook the very foundations of the island and then a small mini-eruption happened within the volcano. Almost as if the mountain was a sleeping giant who just coughed a bit, small chunks of magma landed here and there, but it didn't really seem to affect the Lava-louts. Some of the magma even managed to get on one of the blacksmith's shoulders, but he just brushed it off as if it was nothing. Hiccup looked on awe struck as the boy got back to his feet.

"Forsaken Angry Mountain will be the death of this tribe; I can feel in my gut. Anyway, unless ya wanta get burned to bits I suggest ya either leave or get a fire suit."

Hiccup nodded but then looked down; he didn't have the money for a fire suit.

"Um...I don't think I have the...the...what's it called..."

Hiccup asked confused, he was trying to remember the word for currency.

"Money?"

"Yes...so I'll just be going."

If anything, he should have just left and returned to the pack. But oddly enough, the Blacksmith patted Hiccup on the back with one of his clammy hands. With a pained and sorrowful voice, he said.

"Tell ya what…I have some new clothes in back you could wear. They won't fit the best especially on a skinny fruit like you, but they'll get the job down."

He then removed his sot covered hand from Hiccup's thin shoulder; the Viking Boy followed him into his quaint little shop. Hiccup looked around in awe at the tiny forge that held all kinds of amazing metals and other things. The weapons and metal works in this shop made the one's in the pile look like complete garbage they were so skillfully crafted. The Blacksmith then opened a tiny cabinet to reveal some Lava-lout fire suits intended for the younger Lava-louts. He tossed the outfit over to Hiccup and asked him to go to the back of the shop and put it on. Hiccup did so and after a few minutes came out looking like a full member of the Lava-lout tribe. Like all the other members of the tribe, Hiccup wore a Black Helmet with a black full-body suit, black boots, and gloves. The young Viking in a muffled said.

"I think it's a little too big!"

The Blacksmith then tossed him a yak skin belt, it landed on Hiccup's head.

"There ya go."

"…"

Hiccup said nothing in reply as he tried to figure out how to put the belt on; needless to say it took longer than it would an average person. The young barbarian tried to tie it around his wrist, but this only cut off circulation for a few seconds. He then tried to wrap it around his head, which made him look foolish. Then after about seven or eight more tries, Hiccup finally managed to find the correct place to put the belt on, around the waist. The Blacksmith clapped his hands prematurely.

"Bravo Clueless!"

"Thank you."

Hiccup said gleaming under the black mask, taking that insult as a compliment, his knowledge of Norse was limited, and he still didn't know a majority of Norse or sarcasm in the language for that matter either. The Blacksmith then smirked a bit under his dark sot covered face. He walked up to the boy.

"Now boy, don't go stealing things from people, especially garbage like those disgraces out there…"

Hiccup stopped for a moment as he starred the blacksmith straight in the eyes.

"But, why are they disgraces. If you ever become a blacksmith, accept nothing but perfection."

The Blacksmith lightheartedly chuckled a bit, but then patted young Hiccup on the back.

"Because they weren't perfect, perfection is everything in life, my boy, if I don't get every single detail right then what's the point of even making something as beautiful as the sword."

The Blacksmith said with pride as he starred at some of his finer works that littered his tiny shop. Hiccup looked inspired at how beautiful crafted the metal works were. After that the Blacksmith sent Hiccup on his way, as he showed him out the door.

"Now, run along now, and don't cause any more trouble…"

Hiccup nodded under his black mask. He smiled under it as the young Viking waved goodbye to the Blacksmith. The Blacksmith sighed he had given a trademarked fire-suit to a nomad, but admittedly a nice boy. Hiccup then wandered through the village even more unnoticed; quickly he learned where everything was except for the food storage area. By the end of the day he was giving up hope, while darkness encompassed the land and began to break the spirit of the day, so too did it break apart of Hiccup's spirits. He had one job, find where the Lava-louts kept the food, and possibly free any dragon prisoners and he couldn't even do that right. Well to be honest Hiccup was half-expecting a wooden sign in the dirt that said, 'Food Storage', but he had no such luck. The young Viking sighed for a moment as he rested up against a wooden sign post, which was around the center of town He sighed, and Hiccup thought to himself.

"What am I doing? These people don't seem like the killers my pack makes them out to be maybe I should just stay here for a while, yeah I was never cut out to be like them anyway…"

But then a rather large Lava-lout walked up the center of the town with a large blow hour in his hand. Hiccup watched as the Viking blew into the horn causing a loud noise that would have sent an alarming sense of fear down your spine. The Lava-louts froze, then they all stopped their evening routines and stormed off to the largest structure in the village. A temple that was carved into the side of the island's Volcano. Within a few seconds, all of Lava-lout village was completely and utterly deserted, even Hiccup tagged along mostly because he was just curious about what was going on. Until Hiccup saw a massive hut connected to the temple, the hut over stocked with fish, rabbits, and other tasty animals. The young boy tried to leave the area but a crowd of people forced him inside the temple. Hiccup was forced into the temple along with everyone else, though he was smiling under his mask. He had done his job, after this gathering of sorts was finished, he would go back and re-join his pack and return a bit more accepted by the dragons. Maybe Hiccup wasn't as bad at this as he thought. Anyway, two large Lava-lout soldiers opened the gigantic rock like doors to reveal a beautiful hallway with random tables set all around in various locations. Magma dripped from the sides, warming up the Temple into a moderately warm temperate. There was such lighthearted excitement from the Lava-lout tribe. As the great horn of Magma, the Lava-lout, the founder of the tribe, was only blown in times of great peril. Everyone sat down at one of the tables provided, Hiccup followed suit. There was a great happy shouting from every member of the tribe. The large barbarian, who had blown the war horn earlier, huffed on his bugle again as another ear bleeding blow came out again. The Hall fell silent. As another large barbarian stepped forward, he had seven guards at his sides. This barbarian was enormous standing a mighty seven feet tall wearing a pitch black fire suit laced with crimson armor. He didn't where the traditional mask though, this showed off his scarred face with dark blue eyes and a beard like a scrambled patch of thorn bushes. With a great big yell he shouted out the Lava-lout salute which consisted of screaming like a deranged bull while doing a very specific hand motion. The whole tribe in unison of screams, sung it back to the larger Viking. All except for Hiccup who didn't really understand what was going on now. The larger barbarian then spoke.

"Heroes and Halfwits of the Lava-lout tribe! I Chief Calvin the Combustible, have called you here today because of a grave threat on our shores."

Boomed the Lava-lout Chief with a mad look in his fiendish eyes. The barbarians erupted in exuberant cheer of joy, Lava-louts like most barbarians, loved danger. Hiccup slummed a bit in his seat; he already knew what the chief was talking about. Chief Calvin the Combustible slammed a massive fist onto the side of a nearby table as he stroked his beard.

"Dragons! On our humble shores! They've come to steal from us, to kill us! Are we just gonna roll over like a bunch of weary sniveling bunny rabbits, relinquish all of our food and die!?"

The crowd turned bitter. They screamed body war cries, Hiccup watched as the crowd yelled for the heads of the dragons.

"NO SIR!"

"NOT LIKELY GOVERNOR!"

He wanted to make his way out of the Great Hall as Chief Calvin was hyping up the tribe.

"What are we gonna do?!"

"Kill the Dragons!"

"When are we gonna do it!"

"Now!"

"TO ARMS, MEN AND WOMEN OF THE LAVA-LOUT TRIBE! TO ARMS!"

Hiccup hesitated for a moment as he said under his breathe.

"Yeah, let's kill those dragons. Oh gods."

Then Calvin the Combustible just went on after that about how unacceptable the dragons were as Hiccup sat there rather appealed by this whole situation. He was beginning to see what the dragons meant when they said that 'most humans are bastards'. It was then Hiccup saw a smaller more rancid looking door, Hiccup quickly ducked out of the Great Hall and into the other room, not caring were it went. But the young Viking boy didn't care were it went; he just wanted to get out of this uncomfortable meeting. But when he turned into the hallway, he came to regret entering this new hallway a horrifying sight. He turned around to see dragons, dead dragons, all hosted up in a smelly big pile. The sight was horrific; it was like genocide or a mass murder to Hiccup. He had been raised by dragons his whole life and to see this act of carnage before his eyes really disturbed him. What made it worse was the smell that seemed to work its way into Hiccup's fire suit. Hiccup couldn't believe it, the stories the dragons told where true. Hiccup seemed to tense up, he was angry. How could they do this, to the dragons, they were his family and they were killed like animals. Covering his nose, and trying not to look directly at the pile, Hiccup walked timidly past the pile of bodies. Then he heard something, a sort of ravage snarl. Hiccup turned around to see several varied species of dragons all caged and waiting to be executed. The cages were just that, metal cages with chains keeping the doors together. The imprisoned dragon all shrieked Dragonese insults at Hiccup calling him a coward or a weakling. But he knew they were terrified inside those cages, just begging to get out.

 _"WEAK HUMAN."_

 _"COWARD!"_

 _"MURDERER!"_

Hiccup took in a deep breath as he inhaled the horrifying bad stench of rioting dragon corpses.

 _"No, no, no you have me all wrong I'm not a Lava-lout. See?"_

The young Viking boy said with a muffled voice, he took off his helmet, so he could speak more clearly. But this also meant he would get a better whiff of the horrifying stench of the dragon carcasses. The dragons looked at Hiccup confused and surprised.

 _"Well, what do know, it speaks our language."_

 _"Interesting."_

The dragons said observing Hiccup from their cages, Hiccup then noticed something. A small weapons armory in the corner, Hiccup ran over and reached out and grabbed a flashpoint swift cutter, with a long blade. He then dashed over to the dragon's cages. The Dragons hissed and snarled as some of them backed as far away from the ever-approaching Hiccup as they could. Others began to insult and beg Hiccup to toss his sword away and fight like a dragon. Then the young Viking boy, did something that really confused the large reptilian beasts. He cut their chains from their cages and set them free; Hiccup cut open the chained barred doors to the dragon's cages. One of the dragons, a very wrathful Monstrous Nightmare snatched Hiccup and forced him to the ground. A large talon over his body, ready to slice him. The other dragons starred angrily and even hungrily at Hiccup.

 _"Kill it before he kills us."_

 _"Burn him to a crisp."_

 _"Tear his horns off."_

Hiccup was terrified by these wild, agitated dragons. His breathing became uneasy as the Monstrous Nightmare extended its claws over Hiccup's chest. With cunning quick thinking, Hiccup managed to blurt out.

 _"I'm here to rescue you guys, I'm not like the other humans, I don't kill dragons."_

Again, the surrounding dragons hesitated; even the Monstrous Nightmare retracted its extra extendable claws a tad letting the young boy go. Now free from the Nightmare's grasp, Hiccup stood up as the dragons circled him menacingly like a pack of hungry wolves. The Monstrous Nightmare then said.

 _"How could a human help us, look at him he's pathetic."_

 _"He does speak our language though, so he's not entirely useless."_

A Gronckle blurted out, the Monstrous Nightmare then eyed Hiccup as, the Nightmare then asked fiercely.

 _"If that's true, and you do serve dragons, then you must be part of a pack...tell me…Human who do you serve but if you lie...I will claw your eyes out."_

Hiccup hesitated for a moment, some of the stray members of the surrounding pack began to sharpen their talons and claws like steak knives as they drummed them on the stone walls. The boy then replied.

 _"The Red Death"_

Silence erupted amongst the dragons; they all snarled and growled dragon insults again. Thankfully the Lava-louts were too busy screaming and prepping for a grand battle with the dragons over on the long beach to notice the cackles of the now freed dragons.

 _"Why should we go with you human, you could be lying to us?"_

 _"Even so...why would we severe the Red Death, she's an Alpha, all Alpha's are bastards..."_

Hiccup thought for a moment, and then a slight devilish smirk appeared on his face.

 _"Alright, I see how it is, well I'll just be on my way, I need to help out my pack anyway. Good luck to you getting out of this prison."_

With that, Hiccup began to walk away slyly, a Nadder cautiously leapt in front of Hiccup.

 _"And where is this pack of yours human?"_

A Deadly Nadder asked as it starred Hiccup in the eyes, and he made sure to get in the dragon's blind spot. Hiccup only smiled again.

 _"Why should I tell you that? You obviously don't need my help besides, you don't even trust me. Even so you said it yourself, the Red Death is a horrible lord, you all would much rather be trapped in this room, I can see now. Sorry I wasted your time."_

Many of the dragons sighed and cursed under their breath. Servitude under an Alpha may be bad but left to die in a cage was even force. Hiccup smiled happily, he appeared to have won over the dragons. The Monstrous Nightmare stepped forward starring at Hiccup with its candle like eyes.

 _"Alright fine, we trust you, but if you're lying boy we will burn you alive and eat your corpse."_

Hiccup nodded nonchalantly. He then pointed to the door leading back to the Great Hall.

 _"Yes, yes, now would you kindly blow up that door right there?"_

The dragons glared at Hiccup knowing what was on the other side. But when they investigated Hiccup's honest eyes, all sense of doubt was removed. Every dragon breathed their variations of fire at the door that Hiccup came in then. A massive explosion occurred that shocked the gathering of Lava-louts in the Great Hall.

"Oi! What's all this then?!"

"Chief Calvin, the Dragons are escaping!"

" I can see that! Kill those unholy abominations!"

Yelled a furious Calvin the Combustible as to his confusion and shock, the dragons he had captured came rushing out of their cages. All Hel broke loose as the dragons breathed there uncontrollable fire down upon the helpless Lava-louts. While they weren't burned to a crisp, a flame suit could only do so much against a continuous stream of dragon fire. What made it worse was when their fire reached the barrels of fine wine and mead. This only made the fires spread even faster. Hiccup watched as the dragons hovering above his head quickly burned down the giant doors of the Great Hall. The Young Viking ran out after them as the Lava-louts where so disoriented and confused as to what just occurred that they were still trying to comprehend the whole situation. The dragons flew out singing shrieks of joy and freedom. Hiccup got out side and then snapped his fingers together, trying to recall something.

"Ugh...think, think, think, what's the call of a Night Fury?"

The answer hit Hiccup when the Night Fury came swooping down with a loud furious war cry. Hiccup looked up at the skies above and saw that there in there shining glory was Hiccup's pack. The young Viking watched as the dragons he just freed joined the pack. He smiled for a moment; Hiccup felt a sense of accomplishment. But that moment was soon squandered when a Lava-lout soldier grabbed him around the waist and hurried him over to a safer location.

"Boy? What do ya think you're doing? This is war! War is no place for a child."

The Lava-lout screamed in Hiccup's ear, but Hiccup didn't hear him. Hiccup was watching in anger and fear as the Lava-louts began to toss homemade bombs and shot flaming arrows from crossbows. Brutally injuring some of the dragons on the spot. The pack began to dive bomb the barbarians scratching and biting at them. But as mighty as each dragon was, there were casualties, Hel; there were casualties on both sides of this ordeal. Lava-lout soldiers dying from having bombs blown up in their faces, and dragons dying of various stab wounds as well bombs blowing their heads straight to Valhalla, it was truly terrifying. Especially for Hiccup, keep in mind he wasn't you're typical Viking child raised to love the smell of blood. No Hiccup had never even really seen anything like this; he was raised in a cave with very easy going dragons that mostly just seemed to lounge about. Hiccup wanted to scream as he watched dragon after dragon fall down and get slaughtered by stab wounds. But his mind was so traumatized by this experience that he couldn't even muster up a scream. Hiccup was set down next to a bunch of the other Lava-lout children. As the soldier who set him down pulled out a sword and rushed into battle. Hiccup and the other Lava-lout's where inside a small metal bunker which was basically three metal walls and a wooden door with a few large windows to watch the fight. A young Viking around Hiccup's age turned to the young Viking boy.

"Dragons, they do these things, these horrible reptiles just to get to our hard-earned food. It's okay though friend, my father will slay them all. He's the chief of this great tribe."

Hiccup looked at the boy in disbelief, he wanted to turn to the Viking Boy and tear his head off. That boy was okay with watching Hiccup's family die. Hiccup tried to take his eyes off the carnage, but he couldn't. With growing wrath, he looked toward the pile of weapons outside the blacksmith's shop. He narrowed his gaze determinedly. Meanwhile, The Night Fury was leading the charge against the Lava-louts. It was a spectacle to watch the Night Fury command the other dragons, for the Night Fury was one of the most deadly and intelligent dragons out there. He had the Deadly Nadder's line up in a somewhat straight line firing their tail spines. He had the Gronckle's split up into two separate groups; half with the Nadder's laying down covering fire, while the other half raided the food storage huts. Meanwhile the Monstrous Nightmares and Zippleback's fought sword to claw on the ground.

 _"TEAR AND MUTILATE!"_

Some of the more ravenous and aggressive dragons of the pack cried as they clawed and burned many of the Lava-louts. But the Lava-louts fire suits resisted this fiery carnage and the barbarians only fired right back with crossbows and bola's. Chief Calvin watched annoyed from a far, he had a hundred men wielding bolas at his side. He himself swung two bolas in his massive hands. He waited for the right moment to strike. But then with a mini-supernova exposition half of Calvin the Combustibles men were knocked out cold, there fire suits where no much for a Night Fury's plasma blast. Calvin watched the skies as a great dark blue blur zigzagged through the skies. He looked at his men, most of them where down. He concentrated on the Night Fury as the dark blue dragon came in for another strike against the Lava-louts. But then Calvin threw his bola at the Night Fury, the weapon soared through the air. It then slammed into the Night Fury and wrapped itself around the dragon. With a shriek of pain, the Night Fury descended to the ground with a massive thud. The Lava-louts cheered as Calvin the Combustible and a few of his men ran over to the downed dragon. They found that he downed Night Fury had crashed just outside some of the two houses. The Lava-louts ignored all the chaos happening around them, they wanted to see the Night Fury. Night Fury's where rare often thought extinct, so to see one would have been rare, and to kill one even rarer. Calvin the Combustible approached the terrified Night Fury cautiously, he smiled maliciously as one of his soldiers handed him a long heart slicer sword.

"Oh ho…what do we have here?"

The Night Fury starred at the Viking Chief evilly as it tried to squirm its way out of the bola. Calvin the Combustible went on.

"A Night Fury, oh, I can't wait to mount you on my wall."

Then Calvin the Combustible went in for the kill but then a miracle happened. An arrow from a crossbow hit Calvin the Combustible in his shaggy beard, then the arrow pined the Lava-lout chief against a nearby wall. The Lava-lout's turned to where the arrow was fired from and found a shaking eight year old boy dressed in a fire suit with an encased sword at his side and a crossbow in his hands. It was Hiccup, he looked angry but at the same time sad. He aimed the crossbow around at the Lava-louts who weren't exactly sure what to think. The Night Fury looked on just as shocked to find the boy he had helped raise standing his ground. The Blacksmith from earlier was there, he starred confused at the boy.

"Boy? What do think you're doing-

The Blacksmith fell silent as Hiccup pointed the crossbow at him.

"Stay back, just stay back!"

Hiccup yelled with uncertainty. He then motioned to the Lava-louts.

"Cut him free!"

The Lava-louts hesitated and acted like they didn't hear the question.

"I said cut the Night Fury free!"

The Lava-louts then walked carefully over to the Night Fury and began to cut off the bola's that encompassed the dragon. As this was happening, Chief Calvin the Combustible was growing ever more purple in the face. For what Hiccup had done was an even more of an insult to Vikings then death itself. You see when you even touch the beard of another Viking it's nine times out of ten considered an act of aggression. But to pin a Viking down with his own beard was just horribly offensive.

"DON'T LISTEN TO THAT COWERING LITTLE CUDDLE FISH! KILL HIM!"

But the order to his men came too late as the Lava-louts had freed the Night Fury from his bindings. The Night Fury sprang into action as it hurled its body onto the Lava-louts biting and pushing the soldiers out of commission. In Dragonese, the Night Fury said.

 _"Human, C'mon we're leaving."_

Hiccup nodded as climbed onto the back of the Night Fury. The Night Fury then flew into the air. As soon as the Night Fury gracefully flew into the sky, the other dragons got the message. To the dismay of the Lava-louts, they got away with every last ounce of food. The dragons in an organized swarm flew off in a slew of colors. All shrieking happy cries of victory in Dragonese, even the Night Fury's spirits were high.

 _"Nice job out there human, you've proved your worth. You are now part of our pack."_

Hiccup smiled for a moment, and then his smile turned into a sad frown. Then strangely enough he began to cry.

 _"They killed them, all of those dragons. YOU DIDN'T EVEN ATTACK THEM FIRST, THEY JUST STARTED KILLING YOU! For no reason...just no reason..."_

The young Viking boy said as he trembled over the back of the Night Fury. His tears streaming onto the back of the Night Fury.

 _"Why did they do it? Why do humans do such horrible things?"_

The Night Fury purred sympathetically.

 _"That's just the way they are, they kill and slaughter, it's in their nature. It's the one thing they do right. "_

This only damped Hiccup's spirits even more than they already were.

 _"Am I like them, am I... am I murderer Night Fury?"_

A couple of the dragons Hiccup freed earlier overheard the conversation, they all then said.

 _"You're not a murderer."_

 _"You're a liberator."_

 _"You may look like a human, but you have the heart of a dragon."_

This made a soft smile form on Hiccup's face, he then looked over to the pack of dragons tailing behind the Night Fury. He looked at not his pack, but his family. Then Hiccup hugged the back the Night Fury.

 _"You're one of us human not one of those murderers."_

The Night Fury whispered softly, Hiccup then said with determination in his eyes.

 _"I will never let a single member of my family fall ever again."_

With those final words, the dragons flew off into the darkness, back to their Master the Red Death.

A WEEK LATER

BERK

A week had passed since Hiccup's successful raid on the Lava-lout tribe, the news quickly spread to all the Archipelago. This was a big blow to the Lava-louts pride; Chief Calvin the Combustible was sedulously annoyed. It would take years for him to get his beard back the exact way the chief liked it. So annoyed that his precious beard had been used to pin him against a wall made him ever so angry. Also having your tribe raided and humiliated by dragons was also not really a happy moment for the chief either. He sent out a few ships to the fellow barbaric tribes, promising a reward for the head of this foolish boy who dared to cross the Lava-louts. One of those ships was busy sailing toward Berk. Bucket and Mulch watched as it approached Berk, through their view finders.

"Ohâ€¦I think I see an enemy ship this time, Mulch."

Mulch looked through his view finder.

"Lava-louts, wonder what they're doing here?"

"Should we sound the alarm, Mulch?"

Bucket said as he banged on his bucket head. Mulch shocks his head in response.

"No, let's see what they want first."

The Lava-louts docked on to Hooligan Harbor, a messenger and a few Lava-lout warriors came off the boat. They were greeted in town square by Chief Stoic the Vast, Oh Hear His Name and Tremble Ugh Ugg. Most of the town was in that general area around town square, even some of the Hairy Hooligan children. There were six boys and two girls who were all around the same ripe age of eight. There was Snotface Snotlout, a delightful boy with black hair and a face like his father Spitelout. Also, when I say he was delightful, I meant to say crude, ignorant and generally a pain in the arse of a boy. Then there Snotlout's lackeys including, Dogsbreath the Duhbrain, Speedyfist and Wartihog, who were pretty much all just the typical dumb Vikings with no skills outside of violence. They were busy bullying Fishlegs. A husky boy with blonde hair, Fishlegs was making a fool of himself yet again as Snotlout's gang played monkey in the middle with his helmet.

"Ummm, Snotlout, could ya please give me back my helmet."

"Oh, what this helmet?"

Snotlout said mockingly as he tossed it over to Dogsbreath, Fishlegs painstakingly ran over to Dogsbreath only to watch him threw it over to Wartihog. Fishlegs sighed; he had been running from person to person for the last five minutes.

"Oh, suffering scallops."

Meanwhile from a far, the terrible twins Ruffnut and Tuffnut watched jeering on Snotlout and Fishlegs The twins looked almost exactly the same, if it wasn't for their helmets and the way the wore there hair you could almost mistake one for the other . In a word the twins were, energetic, the Hairy Hooligans often thought they had been blessed by Loki the patron God of Mischief because that's what the twins were, mischief makers. Energetic mischief makers, always tipping over yaks or blowing stuff up and they talked constantly.

"Keep trying Fishlegs!"

"Punch him in the gut!"

"Kick his arse!"

"Yeah!"

Meanwhile a blonde girl with hair braids like two sideways traffic cones watched from a far a she sharpened her ax while she sat on a rock.

"(Tsk) Mutton Heads."

She said with extreme annoyance. Her name was Astrid, she was a Hofferson, and Hofferson's where the second wealthiest family in all of Berk, right next to the chief of course. That was because Astrid's great-grandfather spent a lifetime raiding Romans and other rich tribes. So the Hofferson family was pretty much set financially for a few generations. Astrid was usually very quiet and always trained to be as good as some of the best Viking Heroes in current History. The young half-wits of the tribe all turned their heads to the center of town when a very loud obnoxious bugle was blown. This also got the attention of the warriors and shield maidens of the tribe. A Lava-lout messenger then spoke.

"Here ye, Here ye, Proud and Mighty Hooligans, Chief Calvin the Combustible has placed a bounty on a young barbarian who serves the dragons!"

Many people gasped, even Stoic who was standing right next to the man looked a whee bit confused. What right minded Viking would coincide with dragons? Dragons for Thor's sake, the nightmare killing machines that could slice your heart out with the flick of a talon. The young gang of half-wits looked on with some disgust and somewhat curiosity. The Lava-lout messenger carried on.

"A thousand pounds of Lava-lout gold will be rewarded to the person who kills this wretched unholy bastard. You will know it's this so called 'Dragon Prince' when you see him disembark from a Night Fury…That is all."

The Lava-lout messenger turned to Chief Stoic the Vast and shock his hand.

"Thank you for your time, Chief Stoic"

"With pleasure, oh yes and tell Chief Calvin that I'm sorry 'bout his beard."

"Yeah, just don't say anything to the general public; he's still very embarrassed about this whole incident."

Stoic nodded his head as the messenger left, but not before some of the Lava-lout soldiers hung up some posters of 'The Prince of Dragons'. He was hung next to posters of Alvin the Treacherous, Madguts the Murderous, Drago Bludvist, even Humongously Hotshot (He's evil in this version, if i ever make a sequel you will see why). This eight-year-old boy was being seen as one of the worst men to ever plaque the Archipelago. After one poster was hung up next to the side of a house, instantly the impressionable young Hooligans strolled up to it. What they saw shocked them; it was a picture of an eight-year-old boy with a thousand gold pounds on his head. Snotlout looked on annoyed.

"Who's this guy think he is, what kind of maniac would serve the dragons?"

The terrible twins smiled again as they looked onward at the poster.

"Only a bad arse."

"Yeah, I mean he flies on the back of a Night Fury it's."

"One-word bad arse."

Fishlegs interjected.

"Actually, that's two words."

The twins went wide eyed; they never realized that up until now. Then Snotlout and his gang went back to terrorizing Fishlegs some more as the twins went on screaming and yelling. Astrid only looked at the picture of the smiling young Viking with disgust. Her face grew bitter, and then she stabbed at the wanted poster with her freshly sharpened ax. The picture snapped in two. Then she went back to sharpening her ax blade again.


	3. Chapter 3

The Prince of Dragons

Chapter 3: Hail to the Prince

In my dreams, I see them. A happy mother holding me tight in her arms and a prideful father with a proud smile on his hairy face. I see the world in a different light. It's bury and hard to remember. But every so often I see them in my dreams. But these people, a family of Vikings, none of it for me. My family is made up of dragons.

OVER THE SEAS

EIGHT YEARS LATER

Hiccup thought to himself as he sat comfortably on the back of the Night Fury as they rode through the scenic night air. Eight years had passed since Hiccup was truly excepted into the pack. During those eight years Hiccup had almost entirely changed. He now went by 'The Prince of Dragons'. A name he relished in like a badge of honor. It was the closest thing he had to a name, just like the Red Death was the closest thing he had to a mother. Though it wasn't a glamorous name, nonetheless, it was a name. The young Prince was now sixteen years of age, and it showed. He was what you might expect from a boy of his age. His face hadn't changed much, his eyes still an emerald green, and his nose still a little too big and his hair still a crazy uncombed brown mess. He stood about five and 1/2 feet tall, he was a little on the small side but considering his stature extremely well built. That was from years of fighting and training with dragons. Those years had hardened him, made him fierce and violent. You could see it in his emerald green eyes. Though no human would be able to tell because his face was now well hidden under a mask in the shape of a vicious dragon. Hiccup wore a mask that he stole from a Berserker once, only he carved it in the shape of a Night Fury. The mask was a part of him, when he put that guise on, it was almost like looking at a completely different person. All fear, all worry would leave his thoughts when that mask touched face. He would become a cold-hearted, brave fighter, for his pack. The same could be said about his armor. His armor was partly made from that Flame suit he got from Lava-lout Island all those years ago. Only he cut it up and placed it over new clothes, so it would properly fight him, seeing how he wasn't a talking fish-bone anymore...well not as much of a talking fish-bone. He wore the Flame suit over top armor that was pitch black, like the night, allowing him to camouflage into the darkness of night. He carried a sword with him, this was a special sword he made himself he called it a 'Flame sword' not the most original name. But again, Hiccup didn't care much for names, let alone know much about them, it's not like he would come up with some fancy name like 'The Inferno, the Storm Blade or the Heart-slicer'. It was a heart-slicer with a well decorated hilt and he covered it with Monstrous Nightmare saliva, so it would light up when lit. Also because it made him look cool, or at least in Hiccup's mind it was cool. Anyway, Hiccup clenched the back of the Night Fury tightly as they soared through the air. The pack was behind them, screeching and crying their shrieks in Dragonese. Lightheartedly insulting one another and snapping their jaws in irritation at each other. They were flying to a desolate little island, an island by the name of Berk.

BERK

Meanwhile, the young to be Hooligan Warriors were busy doing nothing. Life on Berk had grown boring for them over the years. They weren't quite, true Hooligans yet because none of them had passed initiation, and initiation into the tribe of Hairy Hooligans was in many regards, brutal. If you failed, you were banished, they would cast you onto a small plank of wood and say 'See ya'. While waving goodbye or doing the complicated Hooligan salute. There were five steps to becoming a member of the Hairy Hooligan tribe, but we'll deal with those later, right now, an aging Stoic the Vast sat angrily on his patio. Around him were other Hairy Hooligans who sat on empty barrels of food. With the Chief was his brother Spitelout, Gobber the Belch, as well as Bucket and Mulch who only honestly came to watch Stoic yell at Spitelout. Spitelout was Stoic's young brother and his son, who was appropriately named Snotlout, had been going on again about how he was the rightful heir to the Hairy Hooligans. As you all know Hiccup had disappeared many years ago...never to be seen again. Anyway, Snotlout had said some pretty harsh things about the Chief's 'missing' son. Stoic happened to of been in ear shot and nearly tore the young barbarian apart with his bare hands alone. It took the combined efforts of ten Hairy Hooligans just to pull Stoic away from the Jorgenson boy. Spitelout sighed again as he chugged another bottle of mead, in the end he would always have to pay for his son's idiotic actions.

"I'm sorry Stoic; my son is an idiot, it won't happen again."

"No, you're son has plankton for brains, and this is the tenth time in a row you've looked me in the eye and said 'this won't happen again'."

Stoic said annoyed, the Hooligan Chief had a nasty habit for picking fights with anyway who mocked his kin, friend, foe or even family. Snotlout it seemed was either brave enough or stupidly clueless enough to do exactly that. Gobber the Belch chucked down a gallon of mead from a mug attached to his prosthetic hand.

"If ya ask me Spitelout, ya ought to discipline that boy. Maybe toss him into the Caliban Caves for a week, that'll do him some good. HAHAHA!"

Gobber laughed cruelly at his joke, Bucket and Mulch joined in at the rather dark joke. Spitelout fumed.

"Quiet! Ya cowering limpet eating seaweed brains!"

With that the laughing Vikings fell silent. Spitelout stood up from the barrel he was sitting on.

"My son may be an idiot, but face it Stoic! You're old and tired; ya don't even have an heir! Technically my son is the closest thing we have to an heir in this tribe. Think about that for a change, maybe think about the rest of the tribe, instead of the 'Hiccup' ya lost at a young age."

Stoic fell eerily silent, he never fell silent. He closed his eyes and asked scarily calm.

"What did you say about my son?"

Spitelout gritted his teeth, he knew what was coming.

"You heard me, unless you're ears really are brittle with age..."

Stoic leapt onto Spitelout and the two began to violently bash each other with their bare fists. The other Vikings there egged the brothers on, like all Vikings, they loved a good fight. Meanwhile from the steep black rocky cliffs about a mile away from Berk, Hiccup watched the fight through a spy-glass. He had been looking around for any Vikings who happened to be out and about in the town. He wasn't exactly sure what was going on, but the Young Prince couldn't take his eyes of the fight. He sat on a steep rocky height, with the Night Fury beside him, surrounding them was the army fierce dragons, all waiting to get their next meal. Hiccup took the spy-glass away from his eye, the Night Fury turned to him.

 _"So, are there any humans out there?"_

 _"A few, they're bickering about some pointless nonsense I bet, but other than that no."_

 _"Terrific."_

 _"Cheer up Bud; this'll be the last raid for a few months at least and then we won't have to even gawk at these barbarians..."_

Hiccup said distastefully, he absolutely hated humans. Those years of living with dragons and fighting the tribes along the Barbaric Archipelago had made him absolutely despise his kind. He had no care in the world for humans, they hunted his family, and Hiccup was just defending his family. The Night Fury then spoke to the surrounding dragons.

" _As you all know, just like the rest of us, the Master is getting ready for the hibernation sleep, this will be our last raid before the Freeze, we need to bring back as much food as possible…"_

The other dragons snarled and shrieked happily, dragons enjoyed their Hibernation Sleep, mostly because it would give them an excuse to pig out. Then fall asleep for the next 3-4 months during winter and another 2 months when severe winter happened, and possibly do some mating around Snoggletog... ( _Don't ask it's a dragon thing)._ Hiccup felt indifferent around this time of year, he would often just ration out the left-over food and then try to get as much sleep as humanly possible. He would also draw and write in his Dragonese book but nothing much other than that. A group of Deadly Nadder's stepped forward, from the steep cliffs above they eyed the sheep grazing in one of the shepherd's fields. As that was happening, the Gronckle's starred greedily at the fish set to dry on some racks. Some of the other dragons eyed the food storage lockers, they were willing to do anything to get at the food that the fierce Vikings had. They silently swooped down and began to catch their last big meal for the next few months. Hiccup grew a faint smile as he armed himself. He drew a beautifully decorated heart-slicer sword that was four feet in length. Then the Young Dragon Prince did a remarkable thing, he went up to a Monstrous Nightmare and had the dragon light the sword. It grew a flaming glorious red that glowed ever so vibrantly in the night sky. Hiccup looked ever more so like a demon with that sword, it was like looking at an image of Surtr, the Giant with the Flaming Sword. The Night Fury then wandered over to Hiccup waiting for his companion to get on his back. Hiccup did, reluctantly. He smiled a bit under his cold edgy mask; this was going to be an entertaining evening. The Dragons shrieked and cackled as they began to snatch up unsuspecting sheep, and yaks. Stoic and company looked on in annoyance, with just a hint of horror. Chief Stoic looked at Spitelout, who he was in top of at the moment, punching his face into the ground. The Chief hastily got off his battered and beaten brother; he then looked over to Gobber the Belch and said.

"Sound the alarm!"

The Blacksmith nodded as he got out a giant fog horn from his back pocket. He then blew on the overly large fog horn, the sound traveled through the village of Berk waking up all the sleepy Vikings. Among them were the impressible young Hooligan Warriors, more specifically, the Hofferson Girl. When that bugle rang in her ears she quickly went to the front door of her house and opened it. She looked to see a Deadly Nadder with wrath in its eyes. It caught sight of the Hofferson Girl and blew out a burst stream of fire. She closed the door swiftly as fire shot through the slabs and creaks in-between the wooden door.

"Dragons."

Astrid said with a smile, she opened the door again to see several of the Hairy Hooligans already beginning to fend of the ravenous beasts. The Hofferson girl went to her room to collect her dragon killing things. Like many of the other young Hairy Hooligans, she was in her mid-teens. Over the years, the Hofferson girl had changed drastically. Her blonde braided hair now sat snugly on her left shoulder. She wore a blue stripped shirt with lines across it. Also, she wore a leather band across her forehead to keep her hair in place. She was pretty for a Viking girl. She was one of the only ones who didn't have a beard or mustache. She wore a skirt armed with spikes, at the bottom of the spiked skirt with a pouch on her hip and also wore a skull emblazoned on her shoulder pads. Anyway, she came out of her room carrying practically every weapon she owned, but as the Hofferson Girl was about to exit the house, she was stopped by her mother, Frigg. Frigg looked remarkably like her daughter only it was hard to tell at the moment by layers of armor she wore.

"And what do ya think you're doing young lady?"

Astrid's mother asked very hostilely. The Hofferson Girl sighed again.

"Mom, come on, just give me a minute, I'll kill a dragon…"

Astrid complained, but to her dismay, Frigg let out her hands and starred at her daughter coldly.

"Fine…"

Astrid then handed her mother a sword and a mace. Frigg continued to look ever so coldly at Astrid. Again, Astrid groaned as she handed her mother an Ax, and two short swords. Still, Astrid's mother gave that cold fierce look. The Hofferson Girl sighed again as she went through the pouches in her clothes and then gave her mother exactly 10 small knives. Frigg smiled at Astrid as she ruffled her daughter's hair.

"Now, was that so hard?"

"Yes…"

Just then Astrid's father, Sinclair Hofferson, came in carrying a bucket of water. Sinclair was probably one of the more professional looking Vikings in a sense. He was a lot cleaner than most and was often quick with a joke, and even quicker with a business deal. He smiled a grin with surprisingly all of his to bare at his daughter. (Most Vikings had horrible hygiene problems).

"Make me proud Astrid; ya know in my day it was an honor to get to be in the fire brigade, ¦that's how met your Mum actually."

Astrid's father said smiling at Frigg, he then handed Astrid the bucket.

"Yeah…such an honor."

Astrid rolled her eyes and said doubtfully. Her parents then shouted the Hooligan War cry and rushed out the door with sick wrath in their eyes. Astrid carefully ran outside trying not to spill the bucket of water. It was complete and utter chaos outside, the dragons were scattered all around the village of Berk, burning houses to the ground and fighting tooth and claw with the Hairy Hooligans. By this point in the Barbaric Archipelago. dragon attacks became ever more common. Most blamed the Prince who would come in and aid the dragons like a freakish twisted Warrior of Death. Most people would leave, but not the tribes of the Barbaric Archipelago; they kind of have stubbornness issues. As Astrid ran with the bucket, a fellow Hooligan screamed a fierce war cry, before smiling at the girl and saying.

"Morning."

Anyway, Astrid eventually found her way to the young Hooligans of Berk. They were all pouring buckets of water onto whatever small flames they could find. Except the Terrible Twins, Ruffnut and Tuffnut who managed to get themselves wet and where going back and forth pushing each other around.

"You idiot! Do you know how long it takes me to get this greasy unwashed look?!"

Ruffnut said annoyed as she pushed her brother into the ground, Ruffnut was very particular about her cherry blonde hair. Her hair style was very odd to say the last; Ruffnut's hair had two small braids protruding out the sides and then three long braids that looked kind of like chunks of cotton. Covering the top of her head was a helmet in the shape of an Ox's horns only with four horns instead of two. She wore an animal skin tunic and grey-brown skirt. Her boots were dark grey and currently kicking Tuffnut in the stomach.

"Ow! Ow! I am hurt! I am very much hurt!"

"Yeah you better be!"

Ruffnut said sadistically.

"Ya know for a girl, you hit like a man. Is that weird?"

Tuffnut looked a lot like his sister. Only with straight long hair and slightly darker clothes, also his helmet was slightly different, like four Bull horns instead of four Ox horns. Ruffnut eventually stopped kicking her twin brother in the stomach when she figured Tuffnut had enough. Her feet were starting to get tired. Astrid again sighed, the twins were annoying. Albeit, less annoying then Snotface Snotlout, who was busy trying to push Fishlegs into a nearby fire.

"Whoops, sorry about that Fishlegs!"

Snotlout said as he 'accidentally' pushed Fishlegs ever so slightly closer to a nearby fire. But Fishlegs was able to maintain his balance and dodge the flames. Snotlout's gang of miscreants laughed at Fishlegs's misery. Snotlout had grew to be the meanest, dirtiest and pain in the arse of a Viking, you could imagine. He was a tall boy who looked a lot like his father; he seemed to have the idea in his head that was next in line for Chief-hood in the Tribe of Hairy Hooligans. He expressed this to everyone and aside from his gang of bullies nobody really took him seriously. Everyone in the Hooligan Tribe knew that Stoic would sooner elect a Sea-Cucumber as the next heir to the Hairy Hooligans then Snotlout. Fishlegs stumbled a bit as he regained his footing, despite being a large husky barbarian, Fishlegs had no backbone. He was more of a by-the-books kind of Viking then a kill anything that moves kind of Viking. Anyway, as the Young Hooligans continued to put out fires, the warriors of the tribe were busy fighting the dragons, axes, and spears rained up on the large reptilian beasts. But the Dragons shot back with storms of fire-blasts. Chief Stoic hurled an ax up at the rather large Monstrous Nightmare, but sadly he missed. He then noticed a wooden cart right next to him. He grabbed the cart with ease and hurled it over his head and hit a dragon knocking it out of the sky. There was a sudden explosion caused by a blast from a Zippleback. Many of the Vikings ducked or hide under there shields. But Stoic stood tall and proud as a random Hooligan soldier came up to him.

"What have we got?"

"Gronckle's, Nadder's, Zippleback's, you just plucked a Monstrous Nightmare, and Hoark thinks he saw a Night Fury though…"

"Any sign of it?"

"Not so far…"

"Good..."

A small bit of flaming debris hit Stoic the Vast, he thought of it as nothing as he slowly brushed it off. Stoic looked at his massive tribe as he screamed in a thunderous voice.

"Hoist the Torches!"

As Stoic the Vast said those words, massive flaming braziers were raised onto poles; they lit up the Night Sky to reveal the dragon army that circled the isle of Berk. They swirled around the Viking Village shrieking in Dragonese with various dragon curses. As that was going on, the Young Hooligans watched the battle unfolds; they wished they were involved in that dragon fight and not being forced to put out the seemingly inextinguishable fires. Snotlout smiled as the downed Monstrous Nightmare Stoic plucked from the sky struggled to get its way out of the bolas that ensnared it. Snotface Snotlout looked at Dogsbreath the Duhbrain.

"You got the weapons?"

"Uh…yeah…stole e'm from me dad, just like ya said I should."

Snotlout smiled a happy grin as Dogsbreath revealed a bag filled with swords, axes and spears. The Black-haired boy smiled as he grabbed a shiny silver Ax out of the bag and admired his disgusting reflection. The other Hooligans looked on in a combination of envy and confusion. Fishlegs asked.

"What are ya gonna do with those?"

Snotlout swelled up with pride.

"I'm gonna kill my first dragon tonightâ€¦unlike you all I have chiefly duties."

Half of the young Hooligans jeered Snotlout on, the others groaned and sighed annoyed. Fishlegs then said.

"But Snotlout, you can't kill a dragon because-

Snotlout raised the ax's blade against Fishlegs's fat chin.

"What was that Fishlegs!? It sounded like you were trying to tell me, Snotface Snotlout what to do…or am I mistaken?"

Fishlegs shock a bit as his body trembled a bit, he forced a worried smile.

"W-wh-hat? Wh-oo me no-o, Snot-lout I wouldn't dream of it…"

Snotlout smiled as he looked over at Dogsbreath the Duhbrain.

"Good…that's what I thought…¦now bash him Dogsbreath!"

Dogsbreath the Duhbrain then smashed Fishlegs into the ground with one of his fat muscly hands. Nobody defended Fishlegs, Snotlout wouldn't allow it. Also, nobody really liked Fishlegs all that much. Snotlout then said.

"If anyone wants to join me in killing some dragons, then come with me."

Snotlout motioned for people to join him, his gang followed happily as Dogsbreath handed them maces, swords and other weapons of that nature. The twins were hesitant, but eventually they joined Snotlout and his gang. Astrid, who personally hated Snotlout the most, even joined. But that was mostly because she just wanted to kill something. Fishlegs was the only one left to put out the various fires that seemed to just be continually piling up one after another just Fishlegs sighed as he muttered under his breath in annoyance.

"Morons. I'm surrounded by morons and complete seaweed for brains…"

Fishlegs sighed as he grabbed another bucket of water and ran toward a fire. Meanwhile, Hiccup watched destruction rain down upon the Hooligan Village from the back of the Night Fury. Hiccup smiled from above, he was enjoying watching his family in action. They had just over run the town, swarming like insects over the food and livestock, snatching up Yaks and Sheep, while burning the beards and nose hairs of the Hairy Hooligans. The Night Fury had yet to enter the battle; Hiccup and the Night Fury were still busy coordinating from the shadows of the sky. Even with Hiccup's flaming sword lit, it was still nearly impossible to spot the Night Fury from the sky. He watched as Chief Stoic the Vast barked orders at his tribesmen.

"Move to the Lower Defenses! We'll counter attack with the Catapults!"

The Hooligan Chief yelled at the top of his lungs as his tribesmen began to load the various catapults with boulders dipped in some flammable material. They began to launch them at the attacking dragons, but many of the dragons were two quick and nimble to get hit by those failing rocks. In fact, the catapult fire did more harm than good if anything as they slammed into many of the Hooligan Huts completely destroying some of them. Armed men and women began to scatter, some carrying livestock to safety others charging forward armed with swords and spears. Gobber the Belch stepped forward with a bola in his one good hand; he tossed one at a nearby Gronckle who was firing a blast of lava from its hideous corpse like face. It burned down one of the food storage huts, Gobber sighed annoyed, Fishlegs came to deal with a massive fire. He tossed a pathetically small amount of water on the flames, and it hardly affected the raging fire. The Blacksmith switched a wooden hammer onto his false hand for an ax hand. Gobber in confused anger waddled over to Fishlegs as he fought tooth and claw against some of Nadder's who were trying to steal some food from the rising flames.

"Where in Thor and Odin's name is the rest of the Fire Brigade?!"

Gobber said as he crossed his arms in anger, Fishlegs again was hesitant but managed to stammer out.

"Well you see Snotlout-

"Snotlout!? SNOTLOUT!?"

Gobber yelled instantly getting Fishlegs's dilemma. The Blacksmith sighed, he then ordered Fishlegs to.

"Man, the fort Fishlegs, and don't do anything stupid like you're fellow mates…"

"Ok-kay Gobber…Sir…"

Gobber paused and looked Fishlegs in the eyes.

"Stay. Put. There. You know what I mean."

Gobber said as he ran frantically over to the catapults to warn Stoic the Vast of the Young Hooligans latest fiasco. Meanwhile Snotlout and the rest of young Hooligans made their way to the fallen Monstrous Nightmare. It had landed next to a cliff-side; there was no escape for the squirming dragon. Many of them couldn't believe their eyes, none of them had ever by this close to a dragon before. It's one thing when you're a few hundred feet away just looking at it from the ground as the mighty beast flies through the sky. But an entirely different thing when you see one up close, all of them eyed the dragon waiting to kill it. Why were the Young Hooligans so eager to kill this dragon? Status, killing a dragon was everything on Berk. Killing a Deadly Nadder was sure to get you noticed, they were nimble and light on their feet. A pack of them were currently raiding a food storage hut, shrieking like seagulls at some of the fleeing Vikings. Shooting cruel Dragonese insults at the barbarians. The Nadder's began to climb and fly up the food storage building as they tore the roof of the hut. Sheep and other livestock began to pour out from the doors and scatter away. Elsewhere, the Gronckle's began snatching up drying racks of fish. Gronckle's where tough, killing one of those would get you a girlfriend, or possibly a boyfriend. Meanwhile, a Stealthy Zippleback lurked through the shadows and peered its two heads over a rooftop, breathing in its green venomous gas down a chimney. Zippleback's where exotic, two heads, twice the status. The second head pocks through the front door and sparks the gas. A massive colorful explosion takes place that the Zippleback flew through. The twin dragon flies past Stoic the Vast as he climbs to the very top of one of the elevated Catapults. He looked down at the destruction in his town, Berk was used to this, the town had been there for generations and every house was new. Why because when the Vikings where fighting themselves or the dragons, they were busy repairing their homes that would often get destroyed in battles like these. Anyway Stoic looked down and he saw his brother Spitelout, he pointed a far to the Deadly Nadder's.

"They found the sheep!"

"Concentrate fire over the lower bank!"

Stoic yelled to the catapult operators. They quickly aimed and waited to take fire. With a frustrated look on his reddening face, Stoic screamed.

"FIRE!"

Boulders are then catapulted at the corralling Nadder's as they fought over the fleeing sheep. Just after Stoic gave that order, a Red Monstrous Nightmare latched itself onto the Catapult Tower, its body ignited with a napalm-like gas. It sprayed its fire onto the base of the Catapult it began to climb up to the top. Monstrous Nightmares were vicious, and they had this nasty habit of setting themselves on fire. Only the toughest of Vikings went after them. From the scorching flames of the war catapult, the Monstrous Nightmare emerges.

"RELOAD! I'll take care of this one…"

Stoic said as he readied a war hammer in his thick muscular fingers. He then takes on the Monstrous Nightmare, face to hammer. The Viking Chief and suddenly a ballistic moaning is heard overhead. It's a terrifying shriek that only belonged to one dragon. One dragon that only a select few have seen and lived to tell the tale. The catapult crew ducked. This dragon was the ultimate prize it's called the-

"NIGHT FURY! GET DOWN!"

Vikings everywhere took shelter as the fierce moaning sound builds that dreaded sound ran in their ears. Even the dragons stopped for a moment, the Monstrous Nightmare looked onto the skies above. Then it stopped fighting Stoic all together and flew off. Stoic looked skyward, he saw the dim light of a flaming sword, he grits his teeth in absolute rage. The catapult is then hit by a bright blue fire blast, it's engulfed in flames. Almost as if a high caliber shell hit the war machine. Stoic and the crew operating the catapult leaped off for their lives. The shrill shriek of the Night Fury then left everyone's ears. A Night Fury was the unholy offspring of Lighting and Death itself, not to be trifled with. The catapult tower that the dragon burned down was now a crippled skeleton of its former self. Night Fury's never steal food, they never show themselves and they never, ever miss. They're like the cruel dark general of the dark twisted horde of dragons. No one has ever killed a Night Fury. The only thing above a Night Fury was the Alpha Class, the Seadragonus Giganticus Maximus, the Bewilderbeast; those ridiculously huge types of dragons were the only thing stopping a Night Fury. Other than that, you pretty screwed if ya met one of the dark blue devils. Hiccup looked down at the chaos unfolding in the Viking village below. He smiled for a bit, but then out of the corner of his eyes, the prince saw the ensnared Monstrous Nightmare and the Viking teenagers circling it. Anger grew in his emerald green eyes, he then said to the Night Fury.

 _"Bud…send me down, I have some maggots to meet."_

Hiccup said with a smile forming under his mask. The Night Fury glanced down to see his fallen Prince sheathed his flaming sword, the fire of the blade extinguished.

 _"Go…be safe human."_

The Prince's smile only grew as he teen literally jumped off the Night Fury, a Deadly Nadder who had listened in on the whole conversation watched with the Night Fury as Hiccup fell to the ground.

 _"Humans they're all mad as mackerel, aren't they?"_

 _"They are, they really are."_

" _And that one is the craziest of them all."_

 _"He's different, not crazy."_

The Night Fury said with a vague smile, the two dragons then separated and went to go aid their comrades in the fight. Hiccup continued to fall, he sheathed his fire sword in a spare casing he had on suit. This put the flames that encompassed the sword out as Hiccup descended. Then he stretched out his arms and legs, a glider-like contraption formed. It was almost like watching a flying squirrel. Hiccup, the Prince of Dragons was gliding through the air in a wing suit-like contraption he invented. He did this to be more like his family; Hiccup would do anything to be more like them. Hiccup's landing was soft and silent, he retracted the long sleek parts of his glider and then looked to see he was just behind the gang of murderous young Hooligan's. He looked to see Snotlout holding a sword dangerously close to the Monstrous Nightmares right eye. The dragon was squirming, and snarling defeated as well as moaning a little bit pathetically. But neither Snotlout, nor the rest of Hooligans showed any remorse, they just wanted that dragon dead.

"This I'll be awesome."

Snotlout said with a mad glint in his eyes. Snotface Snotlout's gang egged him on.

"Kill that dragon."

Yelled Wartihog.

"Stab it in the arse!"

Demanding Speedyfist.

"Kill it slowly."

Dogsbreathe the Duhbrain yelled.

"Rip it's wings off!"

"Eat its brains."

Yelled the Terrible Twins. Astrid only watched in anticipation for the dragon to die. Hiccup then sneakily grabbed a club out of Dogsbreath's bag of weapons. Nobody noticed Hiccup, they were far to fixated on the dragon. This gave Hiccup ample more time to get behind Snotlout and bash him in the back of the head with said club. Snotface Snotlout then fell to the ground, he was out cold. The rest of the impressionable young Hooligans backed away from Hiccup swiftly; they were now just noticing him. Hiccup smiled under his mask.

"Hello friends, I was just wondering, what do you think you're doing to this dragon?"

Hiccup said in Norse, smugly as he glared at the Young Hooligans alarmed faces, he indulged in their fear. They're eyes said it all, _'that's the Prince of Dragons, he's here to kill us'_...It was funny him, just the amount of fear and respect Hiccup got whenever he was on a raid. It was almost like he was a celebrity for chaos and destruction.

"So, no answers, oh well?"

The Prince said as he unsheathed his sword and slashed through the bola's containing the Monstrous Nightmare. The Dragon then screamed a deadening shriek at the young Hooligans, and then it flared up with fire. Some of the young Hooligans began to run away, this included Dogsbreath the Duhbrain, Speedyfist and Wartihog. But as the Nightmare was just about to chase them around Berk, Hiccup let out his hand.

 _"Don't worry; I got this, go help those Nadder's over there."_

Hiccup said in Dragonese as he pointed over to the Deadly Nadder's where still trying to capture all the sheep. The Monstrous Nightmare nodded, licked Hiccup and then flew off to help the Nadder's. The Prince smiled again as looked at the remaining Young Hooligans scared, but fascinated faces. They seemed to find the shrill shrieks and popping noises of Dragonese terrifying but at the same time impressive. Also, he was just licked by a Monstrous Nightmare like it was a common house pet, that was terrifying. The Prince went on.

"So, it was nice meeting you all, but I really need to go, duty calls."

But sadly, Hiccup did not make it out that easy. To be honest, the Prince could have hit Snotlout on the head a little harder on the head. Seeing how now, the Jorgenson boy was beginning to wake up from is state of unconsciousness, and he woke up mad. He grabbed Hiccup by one of his ankles while he was still on the cold dark ground. Then Snotlout reached for a nearby sword and tried to behead Hiccup. But Hiccup managed to block Snotlout with his flashpoint sword. He smiled again under his mask.

"Oh, how ya doing Mackerel Face? I was hoping you'd be out for the count."

"I'm gonna kill you!"

Snotlout said as he began to violently slash against Hiccup's flame sword. But Hiccup only continued to block his attacks. Then Hiccup kicked Snotlout in the shins, the Jorgenson then keeled over in pain. Snotlout then cried.

"Somebody bash him!"

Snotlout yelled as he looked for his gang of thugs, but then he got red in the face when he saw that they were all fleeing from the fight. Other than Snotlout, the only other young Hooligans there were the Terrible Twins and Astrid. Hiccup tried to walk away but then he stopped dead in his tracks when Astrid threw an ax at his head. They stood only about ten feet away from each other, again the Prince sighed.

"I don't have time to deal with you guys, I have a family to aid."

Astrid picked up another ax and was ready to throw it at Hiccup. Hiccup only rolled his eyes, but he didn't seem to notice that the Terrible Twins were busy circling him from the sides. They only wielded their fists and they both stood across from each other, with Hiccup in the middle. The Prince then said.

"What ya think you're gonna do with that?"

Astrid didn't say anything as she only clenched the ax tighter. Hiccup chuckled lightheartedly.

"You're not much of a talker are you, that's a pity, I like a little sass' in a lass."

As Hiccup said those final words, the twins then charged at Hiccup, crying the fierce Hooligan War Cry. But even though Hiccup didn't notice them until that moment, he just walked closer to Astrid and turned to watch the twins ram into each other. There metal hats clanked and they both seemed to have concussions.

"I see stars."

Ruffnut said dizzily before she fell into unconsciousness and collapsed to the ground

"I do to…it's so beautiful."

Tuffnut said as he tripped on his own two feet, slipped into unconsciousness, and fell onto of his sister. Hiccup then said.

"Well that was unexpected, well I best be on my way."

Astrid then charged at Hiccup with her ax, the Prince only barely managed to barely block her attack mostly because he didn't want to fight her. The Prince sighed as he countered Astrid's swing with the destroyer's defense.

"Ya know lass, I'm sure you're nice and all that, but I don't have time for this."

"What's wrong?! Ya scared to fight a girl!?"

Astrid said very pleased with herself. The Prince's grin grew astronomically under his cowl, Hiccup put his hand over his heart.

"Now that hurts, that really hurts…"

Hiccup said with false sadness as he raised his sword, then he approached the ever-growing flames that were beginning to surround the entire village of Berk. His sword then lit up with a beautiful orange glow.

"And it seems I was wrong, you do have a lot sass for a lass. I like it."

The Prince said tauntingly, Astrid seemed to be getting red in the face; it was hard to tell if she was blushing or if she was just incredibly annoyed. Hiccup then bowed.

"May I have this dance my lady?"

Hiccup said in a deliberately self-righteous mocking tone, Astrid went ballistic. She charged and began to swipe away at Hiccup. But Hiccup was surprisingly quick on his feet and he talked constantly.

"Too slow, nice try, keep at."

The Prince jeered having the time of his life as he dodged Astrid's blows. Hiccup then drew his blade and began to parry Astrid's blows. He seemed to be somewhat impressed; Astrid was good with just about any weapon. Especially the ax, in fact Hiccup was having a reasonably hard time blocking all of Astrid's attacks.

"Oh, I see ya know the Grimbeards Grapple, and the Flash cut lunge. I must say you are quite good at this. Why don't you try the Dead Man's Gambit, I hear it works just as good with an ax as it does with a sword."

Hiccup went on and on and on. He even managed to ask about Astrid's mental state and physical health. After about a minute of Hiccup constantly talking, Astrid had enough. She managed to pin Hiccup up against the side of someone's house and she tried to chop his head off. Astrid was now sweating all over and Hiccup it seemed and not even broken a sweat at all during this fight. Hiccup looked at her frustration, he thought it was hilarious.

"Maybe you're not cut out to a Shield Maiden, maybe you'd be better as a housewife."

Grinding her teeth in rage Astrid began to slash randomly as the Prince nimbly avoided each lunge.

"I'll show you!"

The Astrid said, the Prince still held a smug confident smile under his mask. This girl was his kind of girl, attractive, a decent fighter and easy to rile up.

"You know about that wife part, I could take you home with me...you'd make a beautiful bride..."

The Prince said as he looked over the Hofferson girl's body lovingly. If Astrid was pissed off before, she was literally boiling with anger now. She slashed her ax down hard, but again Hiccup dodged her blow. With a loud thump, Astrid got her ax caught in the side of the house. With all of her might, the Hofferson Girl tried to pull the Ax out but she couldn't.

"Jee, you sure showed me."

Hiccup watched her desperation as she tried to pull the ax out of the side of the house. The Prince then folded his arms for a moment and said.

"Oh please take your time, I'm hourly."

Astrid then gave up on the ax and tried to punch Hiccup. Needless to say, it did not work, and Hiccup ended up pining Astrid against the wall. His flaming blade to her throat, she tried to squirm out but Hiccup only inched the blazing blade closer to her neck.

"Well that was fun, there's nothing more charming then someone who can muster up a good fight."

Astrid then spit in his mask. Hiccup wiped away the saliva with his free hand.

"You don't know who I am, do you?"

"You're the Thor forsaken Prince, and I'm gonna kill you."

"Good luck with that, well I must be off. Duty calls."

"You cowardly son of a half-troll! If you had any self-pride you'd kill me now, you pathetic hermit crab!"

Hiccup was shocked by Astrid's outburst, her pride was damaged and she seemed to only want to be saved from the embarrassment.

"Why? Why should I kill you?"

Astrid gave a puzzled look. Hiccup again with his free hand motioned to the epic battle as Dragons swooped down onto the Hairy Hooligans.

"You see those dragons you call, 'Monsters', the things you want to kill for fun? They're my family, and if I'm right you have one to, the worst thing I could ever do is kill you. That's unfair, to both you and your family, consider yourself lucky you and your friends didn't kill that Nightmare. Or else, you would be in that place called Valhalla with a set of wings and a halo."

Hiccup said as he sheathed his flaming sword, he then watched as Astrid pathetically tried to collect her ax.

"Consider yourself lucky I'm only showing you this mercy, but don't take it to heart lass."

The Prince only smiled under his mask, he knew that girl wasn't foolish enough to attack him again. Besides, her pride was damaged; she didn't have the guts to do anything other than wallow in her sorrow. Hiccup then started to sprint over to where the main battle was taking place. He charged in crying a war cry like a Night Fury and went into battle some of the tougher brutes the Hooligan Tribe had to offer. He climbed his way to the top of somebodies burning house, along the way finding a stray crossbow.

"C'mon give me something to shoot at..."

Carefully, Hiccup took aim and kept watch over the pack of Nadder's like a guardian angel. As that was going on, the Nadder's had now finally cornered the herd of sheep. The unsuspecting pack of Nadder's then began to circle the herd, getting ready to pounce. But then Chief Stoic the Vast and some of the other Vikings appeared, they then threw a couple of fishnets over the dragons. The Nadder's are caught like flies in a spider's web, they tried to squirm out of netting or breathe their fire. But the Hooligans came at them so fast; the dragons could hardly do anything. The Vikings were dog piling onto the Dragons holding their mouths shut and wrapping their thick arms around the dragon's heads. One Nadder managed to shoot a blast of fire out through the netting, but Stoic managed to hold its jaws shut.

"Mind yourself! The Devil's still got some juice in e'm!"

Stoic yelled at the top of his lungs. But then to his dismay, someone began to shoot flaming arrows at the pack of ensnared dragons. The Hooligans looked up to see the Prince firing arrows out of a crossbow in one hand while parrying the blows of two other Vikings with his sword. Hiccup fought bravely, but sadly, he was not invincible. Yes, he the talent of a Flash Master, some the most elite Viking Swordsmen known to man, but again he wasn't a fierce dragon. He was a human, and he could only do so much. Spitelout and some other Vikings armed themselves with crossbows. They had been shooting dragons out of the sky all night, but tonight they were going to bring down someone who had brought them so much misery.

"Is he in your sights?"

"Clear as fish eggs are fish eggs."

"Fire!"

Spitelout yelled as he and three other Hooligans fired off four arrows. Two of them missed Hiccup completely, but the other two slammed into Hiccup's armor. One of them barely even scratched Hiccup, the other one slammed deep into his chest and past one of his ribs. Hiccup was silent for a moment; it's almost as if he wasn't exactly sure what had happened. The Prince dropped his crossbow. He coughed up some blood as Hiccup clench the wound in order to try and keep pressure on it. Still, Hiccup press on through the horrible pain, he fought bravely as he just barely parried flash cuts and quick lunges. He was constantly pushed back against the roof of the burning building. Now, let's just leave Hiccup for a moment and again focus on the young Viking recruits. Astrid who was still very irritated by her loss against the Prince was beginning to collect the recruits still there. She looked at the Terrible Twins who were both still unconscious. Her face turned bitter and with her size 13 boots, she started to kick Ruffnut and Tuffnut screaming.

"GET UP!"

After a few hard kicks the Twins woke up, they jumped back up and stretched a couple of times.

"Nothing like a good power nap."

Tuffnut said as he cracked his knuckles a few times. Ruffnut was turning her head in all directions, trying to get feeling back in her neck. Astrid crossed her arms annoyed as she glanced down at Snotlout, the Jorgenson let out a hand and said.

"A little help here? I'll remember this when I'm chief…"

Astrid then spit on her palm and 'happily' lifted Snotlout up. Snotlout wiped the saliva on his vest.

"Thanks."

He said, Snotlout looked around.

"Where did that freak go?"

The Twins simultaneously shrugged their slouching shoulders. Astrid grit her teeth as she then said.

"That Mouton head!? Off to 'help his family'…"

Everyone eyed Astrid wearily.

"What?"

Astrid said in confused annoyance. Snotlout then said.

"You talked to him?"

"Not willingly, he just wouldn't shut up."

Astrid replied indignantly.

"Somebody's in love…"

Ruffnut said with a goofy grin.

"Is it me?"

Tuffnut said as he pointed to himself, Astrid folded her arms and glanced away debating whether or not she should punch Ruffnut in the face. Snotlout punched his fist into his other hand and then he said.

"Did that guy mess with you, Astrid?"

Snotlout asked, he always had a crush on Astrid.

"Mark my words, I'll kill that lipid eating rube the next time I see him I'll-

Snotlout went on for the next five minutes; it seemed his bark was much worse than his bite. But as Snotlout continued to rant, a dark red Monstrous Nightmare crept up behind the young Hooligans. It was the same Nightmare from earlier, wanting to get some revenge on the fools that just attempted to kill him. It climbed the cliff where it had fallen. It snarled menacingly causing all of the Young Hooligans to turn to face the dragon. They starred into its eyes, and then quickly ran away screaming. They seemed to have forgotten about the bag of weapons they had brought. Stoic the Vast looked over to see four Viking Teenagers running toward the central plaza. Alarmed, Stoic abandons the Deadly Nadder's and runs off to help the Young Vikings. (Rule #1 of being a Viking Chief; never abandon any member of your tribe, no matter how stupid they may be). The Chief let out a sigh before looking back at his men.

"Don't let them escape!"

The Chief yelled back as he ran off. Meanwhile Hiccup was still in a tricky situation he was losing blood past and if you peeled back his mask you could see his face getting paler. The blood loss was even starting to affect Hiccup's fighting. He was starting to slip; his defensive stance was weakening, and his swings became sloppy. Hiccup reached the edge of the house with two Vikings standing over him. He tripped under a lose piece of roofing, then Hiccup fell down hard. The two Hooligans then said calmly.

"It's over boy…"

"Ya got nowhere to run, now just come with us and well make sure you're all better…"

Hiccup didn't believe them, he'd heard those words before when people had beaten, and battered him. Early on, when Hiccup was first starting out dragon raids, he was often brought back to the cave with broken bones and a bloody mug. But after years of fighting, Hiccup learned to take the beating, Hel, he learned to love the beating. Hiccup smiled under his mask, he tried to stand up, swallowing his pride and a few drops of his own blood leaking from his mouth. He sheathed his flaming sword, its blaze extinguished.

"I know when I've been bested, at least let my family go free…"

"What?"

"The Dragons…let them go now. Then all go with you lot."

Hiccup said with clear anger in his weakening voice. The two Vikings shock their heads.

"We can't do that boy…"

"He's the bloody Prince, he's a mere servant to those unholy things…I say we kill him now…¦"

"You're right, there's a bounty on his head right."

"Yeah."

The Two Vikings said maliciously, greed in their eyes. But then the ballistic moaning of the Night Fury came into their ears. Hiccup smiled, he then limped over to the edge burning house and jumped off. To the astonishment of the two Vikings, Hiccup landed on the speeding Night Fury. The Night Fury flew up into the night sky. Hiccup smiled, he then breathed.

 _"Thanks Bud, a few more seconds and I would've been dead…"_

Hiccup said in Dragonese, the Night Fury responded with a hefty sigh.

 _"You're gonna be the death of me ya know that?"_

 _"C'mon, I didn't do that badly tonight…I got to meet some lovely people."_

A bola then passed the Night Fury and the Prince. The Night Fury made an immediate dead stop in the air.

 _"WOW! Watch out Bud!"_

Some of the Vikings began to randomly toss bolas into the air, just hoping to hit a dragon. The Catapult towers were all destroyed, and dragons were still swarming all over Berk. So, this was there last option. Through sheer blind luck, a couple of the bola's managed to wrap their way around the Night Fury and Hiccup. The Night Fury snarled one last dreading cry as it descended down.

 _"Come on! Break Free! You can do it!"_

 _"Brace yourself human, this isn't going to be pretty"'_

The Night Fury said trying to stay calm. Hiccup held on for dear life as the Night Fury swirled out of control. Then, they slammed into the nearby dense forest on Berk. Nobody seemed to notice though, the skies where to black with darkness. The dragons couldn't believe it, they're leader they pride and joy the pack was now seemingly dead. As well as Hiccup, probably the only human who was worth anything to the dragons. A few of straggler dragons flew hesitantly, unsure of whether or not to go after the Night Fury. But ultimately, they decided against that as more bola's and arrows began to be flung into the, the Viking teens were still scattering away like sheep as the Monstrous Nightmare chased them relentlessly. Other Vikings scattered away as the Monstrous Nightmare fired off another fatal blast. The dragons napalm-like fire splashed onto even more buildings burning even more of the town, the Young Hooligans duck behind a pole as that was only shelter that wasn't on fire. They all peer around to see no sigh of the Nightmare, the Young Vikings turn back to see the Nightmare leering at them. The Nightmare blocked there escape, it sniffed the Hooligans and snorted black smoke. Then it took in a deep breathe it was getting ready to fire. Suddenly, Stoic the Vast leaped in tackling the Nightmare to the ground. Stoic and the Monstrous Nightmare tumbled and rolled down to another part of the plaza. Wrestling every step of the way. The Nightmares tries to fire off another round of fire, but only coughs up some smoke rings. Chief Stoic the Vast smiled.

"You're all out…"

The Nightmare trembled a bit; dragons had a limited number of shots. Meaning they could only fire off a certain number of fire blasts before they couldn't fire any more. Stoic then began to smash the Nightmare's face in repeatedly with his trusty hammer. After a few good swings, the Monstrous Nightmare backed off; it flew off and began to retreat. Winded, Stoic turns to face the cowering Young Vikings. Gobber arrives with Speedyfist, Wartihog and Dogsbreath all wrapped in one of the Blacksmiths meaty lobster like arms. He tossed them into the other group of cowering Young Hooligans. The townsfolk all looked at the younger generation with heads of shame and anger. To make matters worse, the pole that Snotlout, Astrid and the Terrible Twins were hiding behind collapsed. There was a giant burning blazer onto of the pole. The massive basket iron casing went tumbling down the hillside. Destroying everything it comes across as it goes and scattering the Hooligans who were holding down the netted Nadder's. The freed Nadder's escaped with every last sheep in the tow. They flew past the center of Berk with several sheep in the tow. With that, the dragons fled, it was a victory not worth celebrating though. They had lost two members of the pack. But still the raid was finished, and the dragons had clearly won. The Murmuring crowd eyed the Young Vikings and Chief Stoic, expecting punishment. Snotlout looked down at his bronze tipped sandals and said.

"We can explain, ya see-

The Chief took a deep breathe in and said.

"The Great Hall, now, bring your parents…you're all about to be disciplined…"

Stoic said with great rage, the Young Vikings groaned and sighed in anger.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The Prince of Dragons

Chapter 4: Flying

BERK

That night on Berk after the tribe of Hairy Hooligans had been shamefully disgraced by the dragons, Stoic the Vast had demanded that the Young Hooligans of the tribe be brought to the Great Hall. He was very displeased with them, excluding Fishlegs who was actually doing his job. But thanks to the recklessness of the other Hooligan Half-wits, half of Berk had been turned to ash. Grant it, a good chunk of Berk was usually burned to the ground whenever a dragon attack took place. But this time, the Young Hooligans abandoned there post, to attempt to kill a dragon. Which resulted in the Half-wits leading a Monstrous Nightmare to the center of Berk and having said dragon burn the town square to pieces. There punishment had been decided, they were to be put on limpet rations for the next month or so. Limpets where a bit like worms and a bit like snot, but a lot less tasty then either. Dawn had just broken, and the Young Hooligans sat along the docks of Berk, wishing they were somewhere else. I mean when you're disgraced, shunned and only have a meal of terrible limpets to look forward to for the next month or so, it's kind of hard to be grateful for what you have. Fishlegs was there also, even though he was kind of the outcast of the group, he still tried to be friendly to everyone. Fishlegs smiled as he sniffed a freshly cooked cod fish.

"It must suck for you guys, nothing but a meal of terrible limpets to look forward to for a month or so."

"Shut up Fishlegs."

Snotlout said annoyed as he glanced down at his meal of limpets. Fishlegs kinda wanted to get back at Snotlout, so while everyone was eating a breakfast of wretched limpets. Fishlegs was eating a nice freshly cooked Icelandic Cod. Snotlout and his gang eyed the Cod hungrily as their stomachs growled with hunger. Limpets also weren't the most fulfilling of meals. Tuffnut looked down as Limpets and sighed.

"What I'd give for some nice calamari."

"Or yak jerky."

Ruffnut responded.

"Yeah, I mean what else can you do with this stuff."

The Twins looked at each other, their 'ingenious' minds lit up. Ruffnut and Tuffnut found a different purpose for the disgusting slimy limpets. They were happily throwing them at one another laughing and mocking each other's misfortune. Astrid couldn't eat though; she was still too angry about what had happened last night. Bested by a fool, a self-righteous fool at that. The Prince had made a mockery of Astrid and taken away a good portion of her pride. She kept looking out at the open sea and the voice of the prince would be there taunting her.

 _"I have an idea for ya lass, why don't ya swim after me and we can fight man to, girl…"_

Astrid tossed her bowl of limpets out into the open sea. She then got up and walked away. The group of misfits looked on unsure of her personal dilemma, Speedyfist then asked.

"What's her problem?"

"I think she's angry…"

Dogsbreath the Duhbrain said as he quickly scarfed down his bowl of limpets. Speedyfist replied.

"Well I know that, but why?"

Dogsbreath shrugged his thick shoulders, Snotlout then said.

"She's just trying to deal with the fact that I'll be chief one day, I understand, takes a little time understand greatest when ya see it."

Snotlout smugly said as he flexed his fat hairy muscles. While Snotlout's gang of miscreants gave happy commentary at Snotlout's 'manliness'. Fishlegs rolled his eyes as he plopped a bit of Icelandic Cod in his mouth. Tuffnut and Ruffnut continued to fight one another. Meanwhile Astrid had made her way to her secluded training grounds hidden in the woodlands. Astrid usually went there to burn of steam, she would often leave behind her second favorite ax there so she wouldn't go back and forth between her house and here. Anyway she'd a large oak tree with several large gashes that Astrid had made herself. Then she violently tossed her ax at the tree, it slammed into the Oak tree causing another large gash. But that wasn't good enough for her. As quickly as possible, she ran up to the tree and grabbed the ax, then she began to chop down the tree with all her might. After much effort and deliberation, she had done it. Astrid watched in satisfaction as the tree fell to the ground with a loud 'Thud'. She smiled for a second, but her joy was cut short by the obnoxious Prince of Dragons' voice enter her ears.

"Good job, you chopped down a tree in a month you'll be ready to fight a man with no arms. I'm so proud of ya lass."

Astrid screamed in annoyance. She stomped her foot to the ground in anger. She then thought to herself.

"Damn that weak plankton nimrod! Why is so annoying, so stupid, I just wanta rub that smug little attitude off his filthy dark mask. I mean why does he have to be so annoying, so pretentious, so cute…

Astrid blushed then she shook her head violently, enraged by her last thought.

"Conflicted, eh lass? You know the proposal still stands...don't worry, I don't bite..."

The Hofferson Girl then slammed the ax against a tree and angrily made her way back to the village, the voice of the Prince still pestering her.

THE GREAT HALL

There was much uproar in the Great Hall that morning, people were feed up with these dragon raids. They surrounded a glowing fire hole that lit up the whole dark chamber. Stoic the Vast stood there, listening to the complaints of his fellow Vikings. The yelling was insufferable, but the Chief managed to remain calm and collected as the war cries continued. Chief Stoic the Vast slammed his fist against the stone outline of the fire pit.

"Enough! Either we finish them, or they'll finish us! It's the only way we'll be rid of them! If we find the nest and destroy it! The dragons will leave and find a new home!"

Stoic the Vast said as he drew a finely decorated blade and then stabbed it into the well decorated map of the Barbaric Archipelago. It was spread out on a table near the fire pit, the map was very basic with all the tribe on their respected islands. In the corner were Stoic had pierced with his sword was the uncharted zone. It was a swirling misty area with painted Sea Monsters and Dragons. Stoic looked at his tribesmen, with a determined face he said.

"One more search. Before the ice sets in…"

The Hairy Hooligans looked around unsure, Spitelout voiced the general concern.

"Those ships never come back Stoic…"

Stoic sighed.

"We're Vikings, it's an occupational hazard. Now who's with me?"

Stoic threw his fist in the air, trying to rally the Hooligans. But sadly no one seemed to follow Stoic's lead, the crowd went into a restless silence; they scratched their heads, averted their eyes, and even blissfully whistled. Some people even muttered excuses like.

"Today's not good for me."

"My Aunt is sick…"

"I've gotta do my ax returns…"

Stoic nodded slowly.

"Alright, those who stay get to look after the Young Hooligans."

Frantically everyone's hands lifted into the hair, volunteers popped up like crazy. Silence was replaced by sheer enthusiastic. Murmurs of preparation and packing filled the room. Most of the Vikings left the room and rushed merrily out the door. Nobody wanted to look after the Young Hooligans after that fiasco last night. Even Gobber the Belch was anxious to go. He chucked down the last drops of mead from a mug attachment.

"I'll pack my undies."

Gobber said, but before he could get up Stoic stopped him.

"No, I need you to stay and train some new recruits. I don't want another fiasco like last night. For Thor's sake, they burned down half the village."

"Oh perfect, I'll finally be able to teach a new generation everything I know."

Gobber said happily, he seemed to be plaining out the 'lessons' in his head. Most of them involved deathly situations and someone losing a limb or two.

"Just try to make sure they won't lose any fingers, I don't want to tell the parents that there child is gonna have a hook for a hand for the rest of their life, no offense."

Gobber raised his prophetic mug hand.

"None taken and besides, hooks are great for opening oysters and what not."

Stoic sat down next to Gobber his brow burdened.

"I'm serious Gobber; I need you to straighten them out."

"I hear ya, I hear ya, but c'mon there just kids, cut e'm some slack."

Chief Stoic grunted annoyed.

"Ya see, right there, that's the problem right there, they're kids, but in a few months they'll be Vikings."

"Oh, here we go again."

Gobber the Belch grumbled. He had heard this same story a thousand times.

"When I was a boy, my father told me to bang my head against a rock, and I did it. I thought he was crazy, but I did it. I thought it was crazy, but I didn't question him, and ya know what happened."

Gobber sighed uninterested.

"You got a headache."

"That rock split in two. It taught me what a Viking could do, Gobber. He could crush mountains, tame seas! Even as a boy I knew what I was, but those fools out there, they have the look of a Viking, but not the heart and soul. I need you to show them what they can become. "

Gobber nodded in agreement.

"I'll straight e'm out."

Stoic replied with a very plain.

"Thank you."

"Always here to help."

Gobber said with a smile he then chuckled a bit.

"After all, we don't wanna repeat of last Thor's Day Thursday now do we?"

Stoic the Vast trembled a bit, the last Thor's day Thursday festivals where painful to say the least. The Thor's Day Thursday festivals happen once every seven years, usually around Tribesman initiation, and the last one was deadly. The tribes participating thought it would be an excellent idea to pin young Viking Warriors up against a Skrill, in the middle of a lightning storm. It turned out exactly as you imagine, needless to say, nearly every young member of the various tribes died painful deaths or where seriously injured. It was very embarrassing for the chiefs of the tribe and sad for those who lost their kin. After Stoic's brief talk with Gobber the Belch, the Hooligan Chief began to prepare for his expedition. He went back to his home and began to pack. Valka was there she was getting ready for dinner.

"How was Chiefing today dear?"

Valka asked absentmindedly, Stoic only groaned as he sat down at the dinner table. But not before heading into the cold storage and grabbing two large blocks of ice. He had a headache from today's shenanigans. The Shield Maiden set the table and glanced over at Stoic's ice blocks.

"Two block headache?"

"Yep."

"It was the young ones again wasn't it?"

"Yep,They burned down half the village, again!"

Valka nodded, understanding Stoic dilemma and then placed down two bowls of oatmeal. She then sat on across from Stoic on the large round circular table. They both then grabbed the bowl and scarfed it down in one fast swig. He then looked at his wife, who had only just started to eat her oatmeal. Stoic took a deep breathe inward.

"I'm going on another search…"

Stoic the Vast said meekly. Valka looked at her husband in disbelief.

"Again? Stoic the freeze is nearly-

"I know, I know, but Val, I need this, we need this, the tribe needs this."

Valka folded her arms in disgust and glared at Stoic.

"What Berk needs is a Chief, not a Warlord. Stoic, the Tribe has enough problems you don't need to-"

Stoic the Vast slammed his fist against the table and bellowed out.

"I'm the Chief of this tribe, I decided what's best!"

"It's suicide! Those ships never come back, and you know it…"

Valka said raising her voice, Stoic backed off a bit. The Shield Maiden then looked sympathetically into Stoic's eyes. She sighed.

"Stoic, what's this really about?"

For a moment Stoic the Vast was silent. He then slowly said.

"I've been thinking about, _him_ , lately…"

Valka to fell silent, Stoic then laughed softly.

"I've been thinking of what those dragons did to that fleet, and what the Roman's did to my son. I guess, I'm still trying to save him."

The Chief said with a smile, he then slowly got up and walked over to Valka. He knelt down next to her.

"I need this. For every dragon I kill I feel closure, and any more, I could use some of that."

Valka looked down to the ground as Stoic grabbed her dainty smooth hands. The Shield Maiden glanced up at her husband.

"Stoic, it's not the dragons fault it was the Romans who stole him from us. You're gonna get yourself killed if ya keep going out there, is that what, _he ,_ would of wanted?"

Stoic bobbed his head back and forth in disapproval.

"_He_ would have been a Viking. _He_ would have gone into battle shouting the Hooligan War cry fighting of ten dragons with his bare hands."

Stoic the Vast said with a smile, he would often of imagined his son as this larger than life war hero that he should have been, Valka slowly nodded her head as she pinched her eyes trying to stop tears from falling.

"Okay, just promise me you'll come back."

Valka said as the husband and wife hugged one another. Stoic the Vast then whispered into his wife ears.

"I always come back."

Stoic the Vast then returned to his seat and politely waited for Valka to finish her meal. Which she did a few minutes later, Valka then went to bed. Stoic the Vast then went back to planning for the search tomorrow.

THE FOREST NEAR THE COVE

In the lush deep woodland forests of Berk, you could find all kinds of things. Wild Boar, Yaks, Elk, Reindeer, small mammals and every now and then a dragon or two, but aside from the usual Terrible Terror or Commoner Garden, nothing else. Now imagine in this forest, there are mangled fallen trees and a long deep trench of turned up earth. There in that deep trench was Hiccup and the Night Fury. Both out cold, the only thing indicating they were alive was the calm constant breathing they emitted. Short deep breathes, and short deep intakes. The Night Fury had landed on its side wrapped in bola's and Hiccup had landed a few feet away with his body plopped in a soft spot of grass. Hiccup was dreaming a pleasant dream from his childhood, or what he had called his childhood. The very thought of that dream put a soft pleasant smile to Hiccup's face.

 _HICCUP'S DREAM_

 _8 YEARS AGO_

 __A young Hiccup smiled with glee as he began to put the finishing touches on his flight suit. He had been working in it for nearly four months. The entire time the quote of perfection from the Lava-lout Blacksmith rang in his ears. Whatever he was making appeared to have been made from bits and pieces of the fire suit he had acquired from Lava-lout territory. It was a suit with a retractable cloth-like material. Some of the dragons watched from the shadows of the cavern, not exactly sure what to think of what Hiccup was doing._

 _"What's he doing?"_

 _A sleek Nadder asked in curiosity._

 _"Don't know, he's been working on that thing ever since we returned from our raid against the humans."_

 _A Gronckle replied. The Night Fury who had been resting on the cavern floors peered one of its open to glance at Hiccup. Hiccup continued to steadily work, he had a needle and thread in his hands, and he seemed to be slowly stitching together two pieces of cloth. He then lifted the flight_ _suit in the air triumphantly and shouted._

 _"Finally, it's finished!"_

 _The other dragons looked on in curiosity, Hiccup then ran up to the Night Fury with the suit in his hands. He began to pester the dragon in the way only a child could._

 _"Night Fury! Night Fury! Get up!"_

 _Hiccup said excitedly in Dragonese, other dragons continued to watch in their odd curiosity. With eyes that shined like candles in the darkness they starred at the suit. Unsure of what to make of it as Hiccup went on. Much to the dismay of the Night Fury._

 _"Night Fury!"_

 _The Night Fury opened one of its eyes sleepily._

 _"What do you want human?"_

 _"I want to test out my new flight suit."_

 _"Can't this wait?"_

 _Hiccup smiled and scratched the back of his head embarrassed._

 _"I guess it could wait, but I've been working on his for months!"_

 _The conversation was then interrupted by a curious Monstrous Nightmare._

 _"What is that exactly?"_

 _A Gronckle then entered the conversation._

 _"Looks just like the cloth that you're wearing right now?"_

 _Hiccup's smile only grew larger and larger. He swelled with pride._

 _"It's something special, something that was inspired by all of you, and I wanta test it out."_

 _The young Prince said, trying to under play what he had just said a little bit. A Monstrous Nightmare walked closer to Hiccup._

 _"Well, what are you waiting for? C'mon."_

 _Hiccup glanced down at the Night Fury who had drifted off to sleep somewhere in the middle of the conversation. He sighed, but reluctantly climbed onto the back of the Monstrous Nightmare. The Dragon then took off and flew out the cave; a few of the more curious dragons flew behind. Hiccup still tried to keep a confident outlook; this meant a lot to him. As the Nightmare flew impressively out of the dark hallowed out caverns and into the bright morning horizon, Hiccup smiled. For a moment he looked down, he must have been at least a mile up. It was a long drop down into the rocky foggy shores below. Hiccup took a deep breathe in before he whispered into the Nightmare's ear._

 _"I need you to stay close to me Nightmare, because this is going to very dangerous."_

 _"Why is that human?"_

 _Without warming, Hiccup slid of the Monstrous Nightmare and sky dived straight down. The dragons watched stunned for a moment as Hiccup descended downwards toward the ocean. Hiccup smiled, at this amazing feeling, never did the wind blow so fiercely in his face, the adrenaline in his body the small ounce fear that engulfed him. The other dragons panicked as they descended down after Hiccup swooping down trying to catch him. As the dragon's dive bombed, Hiccup pulled out the wings on his flight suit. Hiccup's rate of fall fell drastically; in fact the Young boy stopped so fast, the other dragons dive bombed past him shocked buy Hiccup's sudden stop. Hiccup laughed and jeered happily as the other dragons met the young boy at the same altitude. They were all stunned by this, a human was flying in the air, like a dragon. Hiccup turned his head at the small pack of dragons surrounding him._

 _"Amazing, I've never felt so alive!"_

 _Hiccup said to the small pack as he continued to laugh like a madman._

 _"How you are doing that_ _?"_

 _A Nadder asked still darting its eyes over Hiccup stunned. Hiccup then said._

 _"_ _It's like I said, it was something inspired by all of you! I call it a Flight Suit!" __

 _The other dragons smiled lightly amongst themselves, they were happy to see Hiccup treating himself more like a member of the pack. Hiccup continued to glide very comfortably, but he seemed to of made one slight miscalculation, the wind. Dragons are naturally suited to fly with the wind, it's in their nature. Also it helps when you weigh a few thousand pounds. Hiccup on the other hand, is just learning how to fly, and he's not a master at the art of flight just yet. Don't forget he was eight years old and less than sixty pounds. So, when a strong gust hit Hiccup he slowly began to lose control._

 _"Oh, I'll never get tired of this, oh the wind in my-_

 _Another powerful gust of wind, began to spiral out of control and fall violently to the ocean again. The Dragons watched a little confused by what was happening. Hiccup then fell into the ocean with a loud splash. Hiccup tried his best to stay afloat as he screamed for help. A Zippleback then flew down and fished him out of the cold water.__

 _"Nice job there human."_

 _"How was the swim?"_

 _"Did ya like that water?"_

 _"It must have felt great."_

 _Hiccup didn't say anything, he was to cold, his flight suit was drenched in water and he was shivering cold. After a few minutes of flying, the dragons re-entered the caverns of the lair, Hiccup was released back onto solid ground. He was trying his best to warm himself, also he didn't have a change of clothes, he had used all the left-over clothing to make his flight suit. So Hiccup had to pretty much suck it up. A Gronckle was kind enough to light a small fire right next to Hiccup responded with a very long and shivering._

 _"Th-th-th-tha-an-an-ank y-y-yo-u."_

 _Hiccup said through a forced smile with shivering teeth. The Gronckle nodded and gave Hiccup a hardy lick on the cheek. Then the Gronckle, as well as some of the other dragons that were with Hiccup, went onto to tell those who hadn't heard about what the human had just done. Needless to say, they were astonished by what they heard; some didn't even flat out believe it. A flying human, it was preposterous._

 _The Night Fury had still been sound asleep since Hiccup's departure. That is until a Deadly Nadder swooped by to converse with some other dragons._

 _"Ya know human, and that thing he's been working on?"__

 _"Yeah?"_

 _"Well he can fly now because of those random pieces of cloth…"_

 _The other dragon's eyes grew wide in disbelief. The Night Fury's ears twitched as the dark blue dragon tried to hear the conversation more clearly._

 _"No, a human, fly?"_

 _"It's impossible."_

 _The Nadder began to groom itself and then replied._

 _"No, I swear, I saw it with my own two eyes. The human can fly now."_

 _Upon hearing this seemingly unreal story, the Night Fury groggily began to wake up. The Night Fury stretched a few times and then began to sleepily rush over to join the conversation._

 _"What did the human do, Nadder?"_

 _The Night Fury asked still trying to get the sleep out of its eyes._

 _"He flew Night Fury, he flew in the air just like you or I."_

 _The Nadder said as it finished grooming itself. The Night Fury glanced over toward Hiccup who was still madly shivering. The Nadder then responded._

 _"Well, he didn't fly well; in fact he only lasted ten seconds before he plummeted into the ocean."_

 _The Night Fury nodded in agreement as Hiccup continued to shiver. The dark blue dragon walked over to Hiccup and sat next to the young boy, with an expectant look. Hiccup didn't look the dragon in the face; he was a little ashamed of himself. The Night Fury then said._

 _"Human, I heard from the pack you tried to fly…"_

 _Hiccup sighed as he edged closer to the fire._

 _"Key word being, tried."_

 _Hiccup said disappointed. The Night Fury gave Hiccup a blank stare, and then he regurgitated some left over cod from a previous meal right onto Hiccup's lap. The young boy smiled._

 _"Thanks Night Fury."_

 _Hiccup said with a vague smile, he began to eat the left-over cod. Very slowly, he was hoping the Night Fury would just leave Hiccup alone. But much to the young boy's dismay, the Night Fury sat there patiently waiting for Hiccup to finish every last bit of cod. In fact, he waited for so long that Hiccup's flight suit had fully dried. The Night Fury was rather shocked by Hiccup's quiet demeanor he was usually very energetic, always bouncing the walls, but now he was quieter than a Venomous Vorbit in a Norse Temple._

 _"What's matter; you're usually not one to give up after one attempt human…"_

 _The Night Fury asked, Hiccup didn't respond he only starred longingly at the fire_

 _"I've been thinking Night Fury, those humans out there, with their violent ways. Even if the whole pack thinks I'm one of them, that I belong, I'll always be a human. That's why I'm trying to distance myself from them, I don't want to look like them, act like them, be like them. I don't even wanta smell like them. I want to fly, I want to hunt, I want to fish, I want to be more like a dragon."_

 _The Night Fury looked down at the depressing sagging Hiccup. The Night Fury got back on all fours._

 _"Believe or not, I know what you're going through human, you feel neglected, like an outcast. You're not an outcast. If you want, I can teach you how to fly. But I can't change who you are, why should I, you're a member of our pack. You're not a dragon though, but you're not a human."_

 _Hiccup looked up in disbelief, he smiled happily, he then hugged the Night Fury._

 _"Thank you."_

 _Hiccup said with a smile, he then leaped onto the back of the Night Fury. The Night Fury then stretched its wings and took off in a blur. Hiccup held on for dear life, but he still he couldn't help but smile all throughout the sonic zigzags through the caverns of the Red Death's lair. Within a few short seconds, they were outside in the brisk warm air of the outside. Hiccup took a deep breathe in, and then he whispered into the Night Fury's ear._

 _"Okay bud, I'm gonna slid off ya...now!"_

 _The Night Fury made a quick barrel roll, making Hiccup hang to the dragons scaly back instead._

 _"Hold on, I need to tell you something, flying is a constant motion, you need to focus go with the wind, especially seeing how you're as puny as a Terror."_

 _"Hey, I resent that."_

 _Hiccup said annoyed by the Night Fury's last comment. The Night Fury smiled a vague smile, before flicking Hiccup on the face with one of his ears. Hiccup let out a pained grunt of annoyance. But then Hiccup collected himself, he took a deep breathe inwards and then slid of the back of the Night Fury. His head facing down the salty sea below, Hiccup remained perfectly still as the Night Fury followed close behind. Making sure to space himself a good distance apart from Hiccup, with glee Hiccup released his flight suit again and flew happily against the fierce breeze. Hiccup swallowed hard as he was having trouble maintaining altitude. But Hiccup pressed on and eventually he was able to level out. Hiccup began to laugh, he was doing it, and he was flying. Hiccup glanced back at the Night Fury, the boy then yelled back._

 _"This is amazing!"_

 _The Night Fury smiled back at Hiccup as they flew against the breeze together. It was one of the most memorable days from Hiccup's so-called childhood that he ever had._

THE FOREST NEAR THE COVE

PRESENT DAY

Hiccup and the Night Fury continued to slumber on, but then the Prince very slowly opened his eyes. His body was pale and beginning to lack any color. Losing nearly a half-liter of blood would do that to you. Also having an arrow head lodged in your upper chest wouldn't help much. But Hiccup very painfully and groggily woke up. He quickly became very alert. That is until he saw the Night Fury wrapped in bola's lying unconscious in the musty grass. Hiccup got out a pocket knife and spirited over to the Night Fury as fast as he could. His body aching in agony with every pained step, but the Night Fury meant too much to Hiccup. Dragons came first, in Hiccup's mind. He could worry about his on wounds later. Hiccup approached the Night Fury and knelled before the mighty beast. He touched its head with sadness and desperation Hiccup pleaded.

 _"Night Fury, Get up, please."_

To Hiccup's joy the Night Fury then shifted a little the Prince smiled weakly. The Night Fury looked pretty banged up; the dragon appeared to of had accumulated a few wounds of its own. But that didn't matter as far as Hiccup was concerned. He quickly began to cut the ropes tied around the dragon. The Night Fury remained quiet, it still a little woozy from the fall. Hiccup then finished sawing through the bola ropes. The Night Fury then got up shakily. The Prince went over to comfort the dragon.

 _"Hey, bud you okay?"_

 _"Human are you serious? I'll be fine, it'll take more than a fall to stop me"_

 _"Those guys caught us by surprise"_

 _"They caught you by surprise; you just had to mess with those humans. You already freed the Nightmare why'd you stay around to mess with those humans?"_

 _"I was only having an enjoyable time; besides, I beat up two guys and a gal, and humiliated a girl."_

The Night Fury only rolled its ancient eyes.

" _You and your human women, c'mon, let's back to the pack"_

 _"Gladly, I'll be looking forward to six months of doing nothing"_

Hiccup said, a bit ungrateful, referring to the winter freeze.

 _"It's better than being a cold corpse in the ground."_

The Night Fury said proudly as he stumbled around with little to no direction. The fall must have banged the dragon up a little more than he thought. Hiccup smiled a bit, this made him hopeful. He then patted the Night Fury on the back.

" _You good to fly?"_

The Night Fury replied by opening its wings and stretching them out as far as they could go. It was a magnificent sight to say the last. Hiccup smiled, and the Night Fury shot back a toothless grin. The young Prince climbed onto the back of the Night Fury. They were ready to go back to the rest of the pack.

 _"Let's go bud."_

The Prince said happily in Dragonese, they were heading home. With a quick flick of its wings, the Night Fury shakily began to fly. Something was wrong, something was seriously wrong. The Night Fury was bashing violently through the canopy of the trees. Trying it's best to maintain air while flying. Hiccup held on for dear life as the Night Fury slammed into a mountain side, recovered and then dropped down into a scenic cove. Mid-fall Hiccup wanted to scream but his body was too shocked to let one out. The two fell to the soft shores near the cove. Hiccup and the Night Fury slammed into the ground hard again, but thankfully the soil by the cove was soft and broke most of their fall. The Prince got up wearily and looked at the Night Fury he closely examined the dragon with his eyes. Then he saw the grueling horror before him. A part of the Night Fury's tail was missing. The Night Fury flicked his tail into eye shot, the dragon looked on in pure horror.

 _"No, no, no."_

Was all the Night Fury could muster out as it stared in horror, Hiccup ran up to the dragon and wrapped his arms around the dragon, attempting to calm the Night Fury down before it starred lashing out. When a dragon losing a wing or a tail, it can no longer properly fly, and when a dragon can't fly it's pretty much dead.

 _"It's okay, it's okay, it's okay Night Fury, you're okay, you're alive."_

Hiccup said as the dragon began to freak out. Hiccup only held the dragon tighter.

 _"Breathe in and out, just breathe in and out."_

The Night Fury started to calm down, Hiccup smiled as the Night Fury starred back at him.

" _You're okay…"_

The Night Fury didn't take those words to well, still calm the dragon looked Hiccup in the eyes again.

 _"I'm going to die…I'm going to die."_

 _"NO! NO! You're not, get that out of your head…you're a Night Fury, you're not going to die like this, I won't let you."_

Hiccup said as calmly as he could, the Night Fury then muttered out.

 _"Okay…"_

 _"This thing…"_

Hiccup said pointing the dragon's tail.

 _"It'll pass, I promise, I'm gonna fix you right up okay. Are you with me?"_

The Night Fury meekly nodded.

 _"Okay, you're with me, I'm going to go into town and I'm gonna fix you."_

 _"How?"_

Hiccup flexed a bit of his flight suit.

 _"I made this…I'll fix you Night Fury, if that's the last thing I do. I promise."_

Hiccup said with a forced smile and fixed tears beginning to drip from his eyes, it was hard to tell under the Prince's mask though. Hiccup let go of the Night Fury and looked back at the dragon.

 _"Wait here, I'll be back..."_

Hiccup said as he began to make his way out of the cove, even though he promised to fix the Night Fury he didn't know where to start. A Flight Suit is one thing, but a prospect tail? For a Night Fury? That was something entirely different. Also, The Prince was going into unfamiliar territory; he would have to live amongst the very things he despised the most, Humans.


	5. Chapter 5

The Prince of Dragons

Chapter 5: The Crazy Old Man

 _Do you ever get that one commentator that thinks there trying to help but only ends up making you feel depressed and kinda sad because you misspelled a few things? Look I just wanta get this done and up and move on. I gotta good thing going with another project, and this is sort of an afterthought. Listen to me ramble, like an idiot. Here's the story._

BERK

Stoic the Vast, Chief of the Hairy Hooligan Tribe, Oh Hear His Name and Tremble Ugh, Ugg. Watched with a determined look as three Viking war boats where being loaded with supplies. He was getting ready for another expedition into the dragon's territory; Stoic was hoping to finally find the dragons nest and destroy it. The Tribesmen staying behind watched respectful and gave the Hooligan salute. For many of them setting of on this voyage, this could be the last time they saw their beloved island. The waters alone were sly and treacherous, but the Dragons made this trip all the bleaker. Spitelout walked up to Stoic.

"It's time brother, we best leave now before were up to our thighs in snow."

Stoic the Vast nodded, as Spitelout left to go help load the last remaining supplies onto the boats. But then he felt a faint tap on his soldier; it was from a scrawny old man with a walking stick. Believe or not this tiny old man-made some of the younger Vikings look like giants. He had a beard like a shell swirling Hermit Crab shell and he carried a walking stick that was twice the size of him.

"You're not seriously going out there, again are you?"

"We have to Old Wrinkly, it's us or them."

"Do you know how many Chiefs before you have uttered those words?"

"I frankly don't care Old Wrinkly, I'm a Chief, the Chief has a duty to his tribe, surely you can understand that."

"But it's madness, you could get killed."

"So be it."

Chief Stoic the Vast said as he turned his back on Old Wrinkly. Old Wrinkly then said.

"Don't run into any Sea Dragons, there pretty violent this time of year!"

Stoic the Vast rolled his eyes, Old Wrinkly was believe it or not, Stoic's Father in Law. He was looking pretty good for ninety-seven and three quarters, but indeed, he was the father of Valka. Old Wrinkly was the town hermit, soothsayer, doctor dragon expert, wise sage and elder though most of his 'occupations' were unsuccessful. In fact those occupations were already taken so there's really no point in going. Anymore the Hairy Hooligan Tribe were really only humoring the old man. Gobber the Belch had sort of become the town dragon expert. Gothi was the elder and soothsayer. An unpleasant man named Mildew had sort of become the town hermit. Even Stoic the Vast more or less saw himself as a Wise Sage, at least from his stand point. Anyway, Valka walked up to Stoic the Vast and gave him a hug.

"Be safe out there…"

"I will, just remember, I'll be back, probably."

"And I'll be here, probably..."

Valka said with a warm smile as Stoic gave her one last kiss on the check. Stoic slummed onto the Lucky Thirteen, he then heard Spitelout mutter.

"All that old fart does is talk about Sea Dragons."

Spitelout said referring to Old Wrinkly, Hoark then muttered.

"Makes ya wonder though if the guys tellin' the truth."

"I think he's telling the truth, how could you make up something like a Sea Dragon five times as big as a whale?"

Said the rather eerie voice of Burt the Daring, Spitelout sneered as he interrupted the conversation.

"The old fool is senile, no such thing as a Sea Dragon that big."

This started a debate on board the Lucky Thirteen as to whether or not there was actually such thing as a Seadragon Giganticus Maximus. Most people didn't know about Alpha Dragons, and if you did happen to meet one, chances are you'd probably not live to tell anyone else that such a creature existed. Valka from the front of the crowd gathered at the docks waved a hardly farewell to Stoic the Vast

MIDDAY

OUTSKIRTS OF BERK

Hiccup continued to walk, drops of blood from his wounds dripped onto the fresh green grass. He needed to help the Night Fury; his tail was busted up and unable to fly. But Hiccup needed materials; he already had a plan thought up of what he was going to do. The Prince was going to trick the blacksmith, get the materials, work on the dragon's tail when he could and then attach to the Night Fury. After that, it would be goodbye foul smelling putrid Vikings and hello six months of doing nothing inside the Red Death's lair. Forward he went, soldiering on, every footstep seeming to take an ounce of life out of him. Hiccup was in dire need of medical care, his body wasn't mangled by any means, in fact the arrows lodged in his just weren't even that bad just mere wounds to the flesh. But the Prince of Dragons was losing blood slowly, if lost anymore; he would surely die from blood loss. Even after clenching both hands of the wound, Hiccup hardly slowed the painful blood loss. Hiccup let one hand go and supported himself by grabbing onto the nearby trees, but even that wasn't enough to get Hiccup more than a few inches with each passing step. Then after much painstaking walking, he saw it, the Hooligan Village of Berk, half of it burned down to the ground. Hiccup then took off his helmet of the Prince of Dragons and placed it down in a small fox hole just outside the forest. Then he began to remove his armor plating, he didn't want anyone to recognize him. It was by this point that Hiccup began to cough up drips of blood, he was getting woozy. Hiccup began stumble with each passing step, his mind was getting foggy, vision was blurring, hands becoming cold and shaky, he was on the verge of passing out. It was then he saw through cloudy eyes an assembly of Viking men and women all waving their goodbye's to a fleet of ships that had just set sail. Hiccup began to stumble toward the crowd of Hairy Hooligans he began mutter some things under his breathe. It wasn't Norse nor Dragonese, just gibberish. It was then that Bucket and Mulch turned around as Hiccup nearly passed out.

"Blacksmith, I need find a blacksmith…¦"

Hiccup said as clearly as he could before nearly falling to the ground in agony. But luckily Mulch was able to catch Hiccup with his good hand.

"What's wrong with ya boy."

Hiccup only replied with more gibberish, as he finally passed out from the lack of blood, in the meaty hands of Mulch. Bucket then asked.

"Is he dead Mulch?"

"I guess so…"

Random Vikings began to crowd around Hiccup, they murmured mourned the boy for a moment. Valka looked from a far, she wandered closer toward the inner circle, and there was something about that boy that stuck out to her. What was it? The Hooligans then began to bombard each other with questions.

"Who is that?"

"Is he breathing?"

"Is that boy even from around here?"

Old Wrinkly managed to squeeze his way through the crowd surrounding Hiccup. The feeble old man went to check Hiccup's pulse with his long bone like fingers. He put two fingers over Hiccup's jugular, Old Wrinkly nodded a bit in hope.

"He's alive, but just barely, c'mon, take him back to my hut, I'll see what I can do."

Mulch passed the young dying Prince over to Bucket so he could scratch the back of his head awkwardly with his free hand. A lot of the other Hooligans glanced away doubtfully or acted like they never heard the question to begin with. Even Valka turned her head away awkwardly, someone then said.

"That's okay Old Wrinkly, I'm sure we can get Gothi down here before he dies-

"Can't ya see! If this boy doesn't get his wounds patched up soon he'll surely die, and his blood will be on your hands not mine."

Old Wrinkly said grimly, this changed most of the Vikings minds around in an instant. Bucket and Mulch rushed to Old Wrinkly's house as the feeble old man hobbled along as best he could. The crowd of Vikings quickly dispersed as the people of Berk went on with their daily lives. Meanwhile the three Vikings had finally made it to Old Wrinkly's hut; it was quaint in a manner of speaking. It was located on the edge of the town of Berk, and it was significantly smaller than any other house on Berk. The house had all sorts of scratches around it that made it painful to look at. Add in a horrendous color scheme of barf brown and you have probably one of the strangest homes ever built. Needless to say, Old Wrinkly was really proud of it. As the gang of Vikings approached the door, Old Wrinkly tried to pull open the door with his fingers. The door did not open, locked from the inside.

"Oh, I must have locked it."

Old Wrinkly then pulled out a large key chain with several random keys. He squinted his ancient eyes as he tried to find the right key.

"Now let's see, basement, pantry, closet…"

So on and so forth, it wasn't until the other two large were feed up. Eventually Old Wrinkly did find the correct key to his front door. But Bucket had handed Hiccup back to Mulch so he could ram his massive bucket-head into the door sending it off its hinges. Old Wrinkly sighed as he held up a single silver-grey key.

"Was that really necessary? I found the key."

Old Wrinkly said as he put his key-chain back into his pocket. Slowly he made his way inside his home; he pointed a bony finger to Bucket.

"You're fixing that, also I may need you to re-shingle my roof, but you can do that later."

The old man said as Mulch placed Hiccup down on a large wooden and limestone table. Old Wrinkly's home only had the one main floor and it was poorly kept as the outside of his home. Random things scattered everywhere, books, weapons, helmets, armor, even a family portrait of Old Wrinkly, Valka, Stoic and the young baby Hiccup. Old Wrinkly quickly ducked into a corner as he tried to find some things. Then Old Wrinkly got out a medical kit filled with things that could save your life, or things that could possibly kill you. It was then Old Wrinkly went up to Hiccup and cut up the wool skin shirt he wore. The three Viking men went wide eyed, never before had they seen so many battle scars. Hiccup's body was littered with them, sword wounds, arrow wounds, third degree burns, even some major bruising. Old Wrinkly then spotted the two wounds that were the sources of Hiccup's blood lose. He glanced back at Bucket and Mulch.

"Make yourselves useful and fetch me a bucket of water and a dead chicken."

Bucket and Mulch nodded before they began to trip and stumble out of Old Wrinkly's crammed little home. Old Wrinkly sighed and rolled his eyes as Bucket and Mulch eventually made it out of his home.

"Odin and his infinite wisdom save me from the incredibly stupid."

Old Wrinkly said as he began to patch up Hiccup's wounds. All the while, Hiccup kept taking short intakes every now and then. An hour went by as Old Wrinkly removed the arrow heads lodged inside of Hiccup and cleaned up his wounds. Then he got out a small needle and a tiny bit of red thread. He then began to patch up Hiccup's wounds. Within a few minutes Hiccup's wounds were all patched up, it was then Bucket and Mulch came back with fear in their maddening eyes. Bucket was holding a dead chicken by the neck and Mulch held a bucket of water. Mulch then asked.

"What do you want us to do with this stuff?"

Mulch asked before the feeble old man walked up to the two large hairy Vikings. He then dipped his hands into the bucket of water as the dirt and blood from Hiccup's wounds washed off. Old Wrinkly then grabbed the chicken. The two Vikings looked at each other as Old Wrinkly placed the chicken on the kitchen table.

"Wait a second, what was the point of that!?"

Old Wrinkly smiled a vague warm smile, the kind of smile only an old man like himself could do.

"Well now I have dinner and I was able to wash my hands."

Bucket and Mulch nearly fell over by the sheer ridiculousness of the situation. Mulch collected himself.

"Is the boy at least alright?"

"He'll live, carry on now, I'm not sharing my dinner."

Old Wrinkly said with a chuckle as he removed a long old pipe from his tunic, he then slouched down next to Hiccup and began to blow smoke rings. Bucket and Mulch began to groan and mutter curses under there breathe.

"I'm never trusting an old man again Mulch, they're really not that nice."

"That makes the two of us, I need some mead."

"I could go for a pint, or twelve."

"No, one's good enough for you."

"I guess you're right Mulch."

As Bucket and Mulch continued on their way toward the Grand Hall. Old Wrinkly watched Hiccup; he didn't really notice this up until now, but the young boy sleeping in front of him seemed familiar to him in a vague sort of way. Something about the shape of his head or the way his hair grew. The old man shacked it off, mistaking it for some misplaced nostalgia.

THE GREAT HALL

The dimly lit Great Hall which had usually been alive with merry Vikings singing, drinking or telling old stories of gods and pirates was now a dead quiet wasteland. The only noises made were the occasional remarks made by some of the Young Hooligan warriors. They were all bored and annoyed, most of that was probably because of the limpets. Astrid and Ruffnut were in the corner talking about girl thingsâ€¦and when I say that, I mean talking about the best way to rip someone's head in with your bare handsâ€¦girl talk. Most of the Viking boys were playing a game of Bashi-ball. Which was a violent sport with really no rules which was somewhat like football (soccer if you're in the America's). There were no real rules to the game, you just fight until you drop over a muddy leather bond ball. It was Dogsbreathe and Snotlout versus Tuffnut, Wartihog and Speedyfist. Fishlegs used to be asked to round out the numbers, but even so he was often beaten up the most by this, so he didn't really play Bashi-ball all that much. Often he would just read in the book of Dragons and smile amazed at the fantastic creatures known as dragons. Gobber the Belch then slammed the doors of the Great Hall open and said.

"Don't you worthless sacks of potatoes just sit there! Get over here!"

Gobber said instantly, with authority in his voice. Astrid and Ruffnut got and stopped there 'girl talk'. The boy's game of Bashi-ball came to an unfortunate end; the boys got out of the massive dog pile and stood in attention. Fishlegs fumbled the book of dragons in his hands before eventually closing it and joining the other Hooligans. The eight Young Hairy Hooligans quickly scurried on over to Gobber the Belch. They got in an orderly straight army-like line, most of them were sweating with fear, what had they done now? Where they going to be on limpet rations for the next year? What was Gobber going to say to them?

"Now, as you all probably know, most of you are pathetic, disorderly, miscreants! Now it is my job to kick you into shape figuratively and literally."

Gobber the Belch said with a funny mad-glint in his eyes and a wicked smile forming over his slack-jaw. He then began to pace back and forth like an army general inspecting his soldiers.

"The elders of the tribe have taken pity on you snot-for-brains, but if it was up to me I would have the lot of you tossed of the nearest cliff."

Many of the Young Hooligans swallowed hard at that last remark. Gobber then raised one of his fat hairy arms.

"Anyway, they want me to train you to be the proper Hooligans you're meant to be, we may be Vikings, but that doesn't mean we're morons! Snotlout."

Gobber said in a mocking tone, Snotlout dared not to say anything; instead he let out a low angry growl. But Gobber the Belch only shot a growl even angrier and more dog-like. Snotlout completely backed down.

"Now where was I...Ah yes, it's my job to turn you into proper Hooligans, your initiation into the Hairy Hooligan tribe begins tomorrow. Come back her six o'clock sharp, AND DON'T BE LATE!"

The Young Hairy Hooligan could not believe their ears, initiation. Initiation into the Hooligan Tribe? Each one of them wanted to jump up into the air and cheer happily, but they didn't over the fear that Gobber the Belch caused. It was then that every last one of them stormed out of the Great Hall and rushed out to get ready for initiation. Gobber the Belch smiled a bit as he watched the Hooligans to be storm out the Great Hall in excitement. The Blacksmith then sat down on one of the many chairs that littered the Great Hall and smiled in satisfaction.

"Fear and respect, that's all it takes to wipe complete limpet-brains like that into shape."

Gobber said as he crossed his arms behind his head and began to relax. The Blacksmith then closed his eyes trying to just enjoy the quiet atmosphere in the room. It was then Bucket and Mulch walked in annoyed.

"Who does he think he is?!"

"Old Wrinkly?"

"Well I know that Bucket! But what I mean is how could he just be so irritable."

"Also he wasn't going to share the chickenâ€¦what low-life doesn't share chicken?"

Bucket and Mulch screamed, disrupting Gobber the Belch's relaxation. His eyes shot open annoyed. He then peered over at Bucket and Mulch who were busy pouring themselves a pint of mead each. Gobber limped over and said.

"What's with all this poppycock?

"Old Wrinkly."

Gobber rolled his eyes; he knew what the deal was by now. Old Wrinkly probably did something stupid again.

"What did the old fool do this time?"

"He used us like a couple of morons!"

Mulch screamed Gobber just looked at the two, if they were stupid enough to fall for Old Wrinkly's antics, maybe they were morons. Gobber just shrugged as the two Vikings went on.

"He used us to get him dinner, and so what, he could save the life of some dingus nobody even knows!"

"It's just not right!"

Bucket said with a sigh.

"It isn't!"

Mulch replied. Gobber then asked.

"Wait, wait, wait. Go back a few steps, what's this about a dingus nobody even knows?"

Bucket and Mulch looked at each other; apparently Gobber hadn't heard the news. Mulch sat down as he began to chug the pint of mead.

"Eh, some kid managed to get himself injured and nearly killed in the center of town. The kid had all kids of battle scars, the types only Heroes get. He's the talk of the town."

Gobber sat down next to Mulch.

"Really? Where's he from?

"No one knows."

Bucket then nervously said.

"I think he might be a spy Mulch."

"He's not a spy Bucket, if he was a spy, why would he come to Berk with wounds the size of a Bashi-ball?"

Bucket scratched his bucket in confusion; he seemed to be having a hard time putting two and two together. Thinking wasn't exactly Bucket's strong suit. Mulch then lit up, he seemed to have recalled something.

"Oh yeah, he wanted to see you for some reason."

Gobber seemed shocked by this statement, he pointed a fat finger towards himself.

"Me?"

The two Vikings nodded, Mulch then replied.

"Yeah, he kept asking for a blacksmith."

Gobber got up from his seat.

"I should probably see what all this fuss is about then, besides, I could always us another victim- I mean student."

Gobber said as he stumped out of the Great Hall, curiosity pecking at his brain.


	6. Chapter 6

The Prince of Dragons

Chapter 6: How To Be A Viking (The Hard Way)

Lesson 1: To Catch and Eat a Dragon

Hiccup continued to sleep soundly in the rundown house of Old Wrinkly. The elderly man was watching over the boy... to an extent. Old Wrinkly was more focused on dinner, as he now beginning the painful process of skinning the chicken he received from Bucket and Mulch and roasting it. He was enjoying the peace and quiet until Gobber the Belch stormed in. Gobber really didn't storm in more into Old Wrinkly's house, he more just walked in because as you probably remember Bucket torn down Old Wrinkly's front door to get inside. Old Wrinkly sighed at the approaching Blacksmith.

"What do you want? I hate to be rude, but could you please come back another day."

"No can do, I heard about the new face in town and decided to stop by and pay him a visit."

Old Wrinkly rolled his ancient eyes.

"The boy's asleep, it's a miracle he's even alive with those wounds,

I doubt he'll ever be able to walk again. This kid has Loki 's luck if he can even wake up. "

Gobber nodded reflectively as he held his good hand up to his chin.

"I see…"

The Blacksmith then wobbled over to Hiccup as he continued to nod. Then he slapped him a couple of times in the face.

"Hey! Wake up!"

Gobber roared in a deadly loud voice. Old Wrinkly then got the blacksmith away from Hiccup and yelled.

"What do you think you're doing you barnacle brained moron!?

Old Wrinkly continued to yell at the blacksmith, and even got to the point where he was very lightly hitting the Blacksmith. Old Wrinkly was never the strongest individual, even in his youth. Gobber not wanting to hurt the tiny old man continued to let him lightly hit him. As those two barnacle brains were fighting. Hiccup began to stir in his sleep, his eyes began to drift open. He woke up with excruciating pain; the Prince was used to this pain. Often times Hiccup would stitch his own scars and wounds, all of them Hiccup could proudly say where on the front of his away from a fight was a coward's way out as far as the Prince was concerned. Hiccup looked up to see world yet again from his emerald green eyes. To his surprise, he saw what appeared to be an Old man beating on a large lobster red Viking .

"Oh no."

Hiccup muttered to himself, as he tried to remain quiet. He then remembered everything, the raid, the Night Fury losing part of its tail, and the painstakingly walk to Berk. The Prince had obviously passed out from blood loss, and now he was laying in one of the homes of his mortal enemies. Humans. Hiccup tried to lay back down on the limestone table and pretend to still be dead to the world. But it was too late, Gobber and Old Wrinkly turned around to see a scrawny boy with brown hair and green eyes starring perplexed, right at them. Gobber the Belch smiled as he shoved Old Wrinkly out of the way as lightly as he could. Then he gave Hiccup some traditional Viking hospitality .

"Well good afternoon boyo!"

Hiccup didn't respond, nor did he utter a word, he only continued to stare at Gobber the Belch. Old Wrinkly shoved Gobber out of the way so he could get a better look at Hiccup.

"Don't shock the boy, he just got up from a coma, even the slightest

bit of physical stress could kill him."

Old Wrinkly pleaded.

"Nonsense! The boy's a Viking, albeit a little bit scrawny and useless looking, but a Viking nonetheless. Besides, the boy requested to see me personally, for obvious reasons."

Gobber said swelling up with pride and confidence, his 'infamous' name must have been spreading across the archipelago. He was assuming this boy wanted to be a Blacksmith's apprentice and sought him out personally. Gobber always wanted an apprentice, so he could tell him/her stories about his amazing exploits. Also possibly teach him/her everything Gobber knew about how to be a blacksmith, but that was more of a side thing. The Blacksmith shoved Old Wrinkly out of the way again, he walked closer to Hiccup until his face was about a foot apart from the boy. They starred at each other quietly until Gobber then said.

"So, you called for me?"

"What?"

Hiccup asked unsure of what Gobber was talking about. That, and the Prince really didn't hear the question, he was too busy trying to figure out where Gobber 's mustache began and ended.

"Ya said you were looking for the town blacksmith, and that be aye, Gobber the Belch."

"Oh, yes of course…"

Hiccup said forcing a funny unsure smile. Gobber then smiled back .

"So what's ya name…?"

Hiccup fell silent for a moment, he hesitated, then he began to sweat profusely.

"I don't have one, and I'm not a Viking, I'm more of a freelanced warrior. "

"So…a Viking?"

Gobber asked again not seeing the distinction, he seemed to think Hiccup had a concussion of

sorts. Hiccup only shrugged.

"Ummm...I guess?"

Gobber the Belch and Old Wrinkly exchanged odd glances. The Blacksmith eventually then asked.

"So, where ya from?"

"Ummmm... the east the far east."

"What part of the east?"

Old Wrinkly asked in curiosity.

"Just the east."

Hiccup said as nonchalantly as he could, but it was rather hard when your insides felt like they had just be through a spinning ax and your being starred down by a six foot giant with slack jaw.

"Eh, it doesn't matter cut the boy a break, we can ask him later, when he's not so banged up… "

"Yes I could use some rest."

All of Gobber's enthusiasm toward Hiccup seemed to drift right out the door, when he mentioned the word rest.

"And goodbye softy."

"Wait you're leaving, but-

"'Rest is for the weak', that's the moto of the Hooligan Tribe, and I will not have a weakling in as a student!"

"Why?"

Hiccup asked as Cobber turned his back on the boy, he seemed to have lost interest in Hiccup, but just as Cobber was about to exit Old Wrinkly's home Hiccup shot up from the table.

"Wait! "

Hiccup shouted before he nearly collapsed to the ground. Old Wrinkly held him up.

"Careful boy, you're still pretty banged up."

Cobber turned around and crossed his arms in a business type fashion.

"What is it?"

"I came a long way for your guidance. Cobber the Belch; I want you to teach me how to make things. It's important you see, it could be life and death. Please… teach me how to be a blacksmith."

Hiccup bowed to the ground a bit, sadness was in the Prince's voice. He groveled, something he ordinarily would never have done. But the life of the Night Fury was on the line. He cared for that dragon, for all dragons. Hiccup had to do what he had to do in order to heal the Night Fury to fix him. Hiccup's face was more honest than it had ever been in his life, at least to another human being. Cobber's nodded reflectively, he then smiled, it appeared he found another 'student' for the Hooligan Initiation program.

"Alright, I'll teach ya how to be a Blacksmith, if ya come to dragon training practice tomorrow. Besides, I could use an apprentice. Meet me at the Grand Hall at six am sharp! Or else!"

The Prince's heart quickly sank. This was not in his plan, the plan was to befriend the blacksmith then get out of here as soon as possible after the Night Fury was all fixed up. Hiccup did not want to raise suspicion, he wanted just leave, and already that was becoming a difficult task. Old Wrinkly looked in disbelief at Hiccup and then Gobber the Belch.

"That's madness! The boy can barely walk, he needs rest-

"Rest is for the weak! Hooligans are not weak, nor blacksmiths, now boy, if ya want me to help become a Blacksmith's apprentice, ya gotta do what I ask, understood!?"

Hiccup wanted to back down but instead he smiled a bit, things were beginning to look up for the Prince of Dragons.

"Yes, yes of course, thank you."

Hiccup said with joy, Gobber chuckled a hardy laugh as he began to walk away. Old Wrinkly sighed as he turned his head to the ground.

"C'mon now, get inside, and get some rest before your wounds reopen. "

Hiccup nodded as Old Wrinkly led him back inside to his compact little house. Old Wrinkly then went back to cooking his chicken. Hiccup went back to sitting on the limestone table. Silence was the

only thing shared between the two for a few minutes. Hiccup looked around at all the various things in the small home, but one thing stuck out the most to him. It was a dusty old portrait engraved on a

shield. Something about it just seemed familiar, it was a portrait, one with Old Wrinkly, Stoic, Valka and the lost heir to the Hairy Hooligan Tribe.

"Who's that?"

Hiccup asked with curiosity as he pointed to the shield portrait. Old Wrinkly sideways glanced to Hiccup.

" Hmmmm ? "

"That picture over there on the wall, who are those people?"

Old Wrinkly glanced back at old hand drawn picture.

"Oh, that's just my daughter Valka and her husband Stoic the Vast. "

Hiccup nodded.

"What's the baby's name?"

Old Wrinkly grew said when Hiccup mentioned the young heir to the Hairy Hooligan Tribe. He took off his over-sized glasses.

"That…that was Hiccup, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, the hope and heir to the tribe of Hairy Hooligans."

Hiccup looked over at the depressed Old Man.

"Was?"

"It's a long story.

"I have the time…"

Hiccup said sympathetically. Old Wrinkly only chuckled lightheartedly as he polished his glasses and then put them back on.

"Ya don't go around asking men as old as me to tell ya stories."

"I understand, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings-

"What no boy, how could you have known, it's just this story is sad…you see one fateful day Berk was attacked by some Roman soldiers they kidnapped Hiccup, snatched him from his mother's arms. Then to make matters worse, when the Roman's went out to see they were attacked by a group of dragons, 1 that was the saddest day I can remember in ages "

Hiccup tensed up a bit, he tried not to show it.

"So you're angry at the dragons? For killing your grandson?"

"What no, heavens to Odin no, they're dragons, they were probably hungry, they didn't kidnap Hiccup did they? To tell ya the truth I'm not even angry the Romans, they were frostbitten and cold, I'm angry about how they went about attacking Berk and all, but still I'm sadder then anything. I'm sad for my daughter Valka, she never fully got over his death and for Stoic 1 Stoic blames the dragons, has killed more than you could imagine."

Hiccup tensed up again. Old Wrinkly went on.

"But ya gotta understand, losing someone it changes people, makes e'm act different. I sometimes wish they'd honor that boy's memory by just living life to the fullest and not take their anger out by calling for the heads of every dragon on the face of Odin's glorious earth. "

Hiccup nodded in agreement. Old Wrinkly sighed.

"You wouldn't know anything about that would ya boy? I hate to be rude but, has there been something in your life that's been heartbreaking for ya and ya just try to look on the plus side?"

The Prince was hesitant for a moment; he really didn't want to say anything about his past. He didn't want to raise any suspicion, but Old Wrinkly treated him with nothing but hospitality and honesty. So Hiccup should do the same, so he put on an honest face and told as much of the truth as he could.

"I was adopted at a young age, raised by a tribe of fierce fighters. I never met my mom, or my dad. So I know how you're daughter and step-son must feel, but still I have a few thousand brothers and sisters, and that makes me happy. My adopted mom is a pain though, but still I have a family and they mean a lot to me."

Hiccup said with a smile. Old Wrinkly nodded, he then went into his pile of junk and then got out what appeared to be a wicker basket. He handed Hiccup the basket.

"What's this for?"

Hiccup asked confused.

"Trust me you'll need it for tomorrow."

"Thank you."

Old Wrinkly chuckled again.

"You remind me of my daughter, always grateful."

Hiccup only chuckled alongside Old Wrinkly.

"Now what am I gonna call you?"

"Well what's your name?"

"Old Wrinkly. "

"You'll think of something…in the meantime ya got any more of them stories for me?"

Hiccup asked nicely. Old Wrinkly smiled back at Hiccup.

"Well… "

Old Wrinkly went on for hours on end of stories of insane things that you would have to crazy to believe. But Hiccup enjoyed them nonetheless. All throughout this. Hiccup kept on a happy smile. Maybe, just maybe all humans weren't so bad. After a few hours, night had settled on the shores of Berk again. Old Wrinkly had fallen asleep in a chair in the living room. Hiccup made sure the old man was asleep before he ducked out of the house. The Prince then sunk out in the dark of the night into the village of Berk. Hiccup scouted around until he found the food storage hut. He sneaked in and stole himself a barrel of

mackerel and salmon. The Prince then hoisted the barrel over his shoulders and began to walk away. That is until he reached, oddly enough a collection of wanted posters. There were dozens of them, but

Hiccup's seemed to get the most publicity. And when I say that I mean 'The Prince of Dragons' had a bounty of 10 million gold pieces and seven knives forcibly stabbed into his masked face, he was a popular

criminal in a way. The Prince smiled as he admired the poster, it was a newer wanted poster with his Night Fury mask on.

"It's a shame they didn't get my charming face."

Hiccup said jokingly as he then glanced over at the rest of the wanted posters. One for some reason caught his eyes, sort of like what had happened over at Old Wrinkly's. It was a poster for an unpleasant looking brute of a man, with the name 'Drago Bludvist'. Hiccup shock it off, he probably just savagely attacked him or cut off his bread in some raid years ago. Anyway, Hiccup then began to venture back into the forest and the cove and the Night Fury. When Hiccup got to the cove he saw the Night Fury fast asleep. Hiccup quietly walked over to the dragon and then whispered into its reptilian ears.

 _"Night Fury. Night Fury."_

The Night Fury then pounced up and forced Hiccup to the ground. His claws digging into Hiccup's chest.

 _"Night Fury! It's me!"_

The Prince said in Dragonese, the Night Fury relinquished its claws over Hiccup's chest.

" _Sorry, I 've been going stir crazy trapped in this crevice."_

 _"I understand, you're a dragon, you gotta stretch your wings and fly._

Hiccup said trying to comfort the Night Fury. He then opened the barrel of fish, the Night Fury's stomach grumbled loudly. The Night Fury licked its lips.

 _"Is that mackerel?"_

 _"I suppose-_

The Night Fury then stuck his head in the barrel and began to hungrily chomp away at fish. Within a few seconds, every fish in the barrel was eaten. Hiccup then finished his sentence.

 _"-So."_

The Night Fury then looked over at Hiccup who seemed to be a little stunned.

 _"Are you okay human?"_

 _"No, no I just forgot how quickly dragons can eat…_

The Night Fury gave Hiccup a sad look, the dragon then regurgitated a whole mackerel.

 _"Thanks Night Fury."_

Hiccup said as he began to feast on the mackerel, it was still fresh. Within a few minutes. Hiccup scarfed down every bit of mackerel excluding the bones.

 _"So, what kept you human?"_

 _"I passed out from blood loss in a nearby village, they don't suspect anything, but they want me to go to this initiation thing…"_

The Night Fury snarled and snapped his jaws in annoyance.

 _"Initiation, that to me means humans killing dragons."_

Hiccup sighed in agreement.

" _You're probably right…but I need to fool these idiots, so I can make your new tail…"_

The Night Fury processed Hiccup's dilemma.

 _"I understand human, 1 but remember, they kill dragons for sport…please promise me no matter what you won't kill any dragons._

The Prince nodded in agreement.

 _"As long as I live I shall never slay a dragon…"_ Hiccup said as he reclaimed the barrel of fish. _"I must return to the village Night Fury, before the human's suspect anything…"_

Hiccup then left the Night Fury in the crevice. Hiccup wanted to stay, but he couldn't. The Night Fury watched as Hiccup climbed back up the crevice walls. The Prince glanced back sadly down at the

injured dragon. Hiccup recalled the careless actions he took the previous night. He nearly got the Night Fury and himself killed.

"I did this…"

Hiccup said sadly, before a determined look slowly emerged on his face.

 _"I'm gonna fix…I this need to fix this…I will fix this…"_

 **THE GREAT HALL**

It was early in the morning the next day and Hiccup casually walked down the dirt path road leading to the Great Hall. Hiccup had the good fortune to have Old Wrinkly give him some clothes that he 'found' one day. It wasn't anything to special. Just a lime-green tunic and a brown vest that matched his boots and a pair of dark green wool pants. Hiccup carried a basket and a dull-plain looking sword on his side. Old Wrinkly had told him he'd need these things, for what reason Hiccup did not know. Anyway as Hiccup continued on his route he stopped for a moment to admire the doors of the Great Hall. He then took a deep breathe in and slowly pushed them open. Nobody was there yet, not even Gobber the Belch, well then again it was only early in the morning Hiccup did not expect everyone to be there yet. Hiccup smiled for a bit, he at least had some time to himself now. So quickly Hiccup lit a few torches and brightened up the dark desolate hall. He removed his Dragonese book from his tunic and began to casually draw in it. Within a few minutes he had drawn an accurate representation of Gobber the Belch and underneath, the drawing it read in Dragonese and I quote _'_The Moron I'm going to Trick '_._ Hiccup chuckled a bit lightheartedly at this, but then the door opened again. The Prince glanced upward from his sketches to see Gobber the Belch. Hiccup quickly hide away his Dragonese book and casually began to whistle as if nothing had happened. Gobber the Belch made himself a cup of mead and drank it casually in front of Hiccup.

"Morning ya nameless Viking, I didn't think you'd show up."

"I'm full of surprises."

Hiccup said casually, the emerald eyed boy then watched as the Young Hooligans slummed into the room. Bags under their eyes. The first was Fishlegs, who seemed to be almost sleep-walking with every step he took. Fishlegs was followed by Snotlout and his gang of miscreants who tried their best to even stay remotely awake. Afterwards where the Terrible Twins, Ruffnut and Tuffnut, who were physically beating each other up to stay awake. Finally was Astrid who seemed the most prepared, the most awake and the most skilled out of all of Hooligans. None of them really seemed to notice Hiccup, they were too

tired to. But all of that was about to change, Gobber got out a very large bugle. He blew into it a few times. The loud fog horn quickly got the Hooligans alerted to their surroundings. Gobber the Belch

smiled at the Hooligan warriors to be.

"Good you're all here and awake."

The young Hooligans muttered a few grumbles of annoyance under their breath.

"First order of business, we have a recruit, boyo get up here. "

Gobber said motioning to Hiccup, for a moment the Prince hesitated but then ultimately got up and stood before the young Vikings. To be honest, the young Hooligans really didn't seem to notice Hiccup, they were to dead to the world to even care or notice. Hiccup smiled a bit, perhaps he could just blend into the background while he was in this village. Hiccup was about to sit back down when Gobber put a meaty arm on his shoulder and whispered.

"Well, go on, tell e'm something 'bout yourself."

Hiccup again was quiet for a moment, he then said.

"Hello there…I don't have a name so call me what you like, I'm from the east and I like sword fighting…"

None of the Hooligans again really seemed to care or acknowledge Hiccup. This was great as far as Hiccup was concerned, maybe he could leave this place marginally unnoticed . Gobber then motioned for Hiccup to sit back down, he did reluctantly. The Blacksmith then clapped his hands together. He happily said.

"Right then, your first lesson begins now! Get you're lazy bones to Hooligan Harbor now. Hop to it then, there's not a moment to lose. "

Many of the young Hooligans groaned as they slummed up and began to zombie walk out of the Great Hall. After a few minutes, they reached the Hooligan Harbor. Gobber then ordered them to slum their way onto a long narrow Viking Ship.

"Get on their, ya worthless sniveling babies, were heading North East! "

"Where to?"

Wartihog asked nervously. Gobber the Belch only chuckled darkly.

"Oh, ho, ho, you'll see.

Everyone there swallowed hard, nobody knew where this mad man was taking them. The Blacksmith then put his fat stubby legs onto the narrow vessel and ordered the other Hooligans to follow him onto the ship. The vessel was long with six rows of benches and a large clear area in the front, obviously for a navigator. There were three oars on each side, and not much room to move around. Hiccup was the last to get on along with Fishlegs. At first Hiccup was fascinated by the boat, he'd been curious for a while on how these vessels glided upon the water like a Scauldron. But then Gobber the Belch screamed.

"Now start rowing you whimpering babies, before I whip ya into shape! "

With that nine Hooligans started rowing. Hiccup was hesitant at first, but quickly grabbed onto the oar to help Fishlegs. Fishlegs after only a few strong rows was already red in the face with exhaustion. Hiccup could tell, he didn't exactly have a whole lot to offer in the muscle department, despite his size. But Hiccup easily saw that Fishlegs was probably smarter than most Vikings on this boat combined. After Hiccup and Fishlegs got into a comfortable rowing pattern, the Prince asked in between rows.

"Hello there, what ' s your name?"

Fishlegs between his deep breathes managed to mutter out the words.

"Fish-Fishlegs… "

Hiccup smiled as he then said.

"How ya doing Fishlegs?"

Fishlegs to be honest was stunned by this; nobody really talked to him or took him seriously. With a husky exhausted smile, Fishlegs responded.

"Fine, thanks . "

There was silence for a moment.

"So what's your name?"

"Don't got one, call me what ya like."

"Oh... umm…okay. "

Fishlegs did not reply after that, what person didn't a name. But Fishlegs just shrugged it off and counted his blessings, this nameless boy may not have had a name, but he wasn't attempting to burn him alive in an open fire so that was a plus. After that the two were quiet, everyone on the boat grew eerily silent. A dense grey fog was beginning to roll in from the dark corners of the Barbaric Archipelago. The ocean itself seemed to be getting gradually darker. High rocky bluffs began to protrude expectantly out of the sea. But one bluff caught the eye of every young Hooligan there including Hiccup it was a mountainous steep bluff in the shape of a dead man's skull. Hiccup swallowed hard, he recognized this bleak place, the dragons had taken him here on many occasions. The Prince turned his head to see the stiffening faces of the Young Hooligan's to be, they were all terrified of this place. But onward they rowed, not wanting to upset Gobber the Belch, and eventually they landed on the dry plain looking shores of the tiny island. Gobber the Belch hopped off the small vessel and proudly looked upon the bleak area. He took in a deep breath and smelled the bittersweet air.

"Ahhhhhhha…Do you smell it in the air?"

"The rotting Fish guts?"

"Or the slimy sea air?"

The Terrible Twins said disgusted, the smell emanating from this island was to foul even for them. Even the other Vikings became a little nauseous when that rotten stench reached their nostrils.

Gobber seemed to only take in the smell as if it was a heavenly aroma.

"Both…Now this is very important, SO GET INTO LINE YOU MISERABLE TADPOLES! "

Gobber screamed with anger as the Hooligan recruits then got into line. The Blacksmith then raised one fat finger.

"NOW PAY ATTENTION!"

Screamed Gobber the Belch as his voice roared like a lion.

"This is your first military operation, your first step to becoming proud members of the Hooligan Tribe and Fishlegs will be leading you . "

Everyone there excluding Hiccup groaned painfully and annoyed.

"Oh, not Fishlegs, you can't put him in charge. Sir, he's USELESS! "

Roared Dogsbreath the Duhbrain, most of the other Hooligans nodded in agreement. Eishlegs tried to look away and wipe his nose against his sleeve as he sunk slightly into the sand. Snotlout then boasted.

"Anyone would be better than Eishlegs, even the new guy would be better than Eishlegs!"

Gobber exploded with rage.

"SILENCE ! "

The Blacksmith cried.

"The next one to speak has limpet rations for another THREE WEEKS ! "

After that, there was absolute silence. Gobber the Belch took a moment to collect himself, the Blacksmith took a deep breathe in and then said.

"Fishlegs, will be leading you, why because he's the only among you who's not an IDIOT!"

Gobber said referring to the shenanigans of a few nights ago; he gave a painful glance toward Snotlout.

"And also, because I said so, and that's the way things go with us Vikings! Where do ya think ya are!? THE REPUBLIC OE ROME!?"

Gobber then began to pace back and forth.

"Now, today isn't about leadership, today is about proving yourself to be a Hooligan Warrior. It doesn't matter who's in charge, today is about the ancient tradition of the Hooligan Tribe."

The Blacksmith paused dramatically.

"First you must catch a new-born dragon…and eat it."

Gobber said with a malicious smile, the looks from the various Hooligans ranged from licking their lips with hunger or gagging with disgust. Hiccup was among the looks of the disgust. The Blacksmith began to pace back and forth again. The Prince was beginning to grow uncomfortable being around these dragon murdering idiots.

"Now dragons are what set us apart from the rest of the world. Most people have to worry about wolves or bears in the wilderness. But it is only the Greatest of Vikings who fight dragons, who dare to face the most dangerous creatures on earth."

Gobber spoke with that funny mad glint in his eyes as he spat solemnly into the dry sandy shores.

"There are five parts to initiation into the Hooligan Tribe, they will test your skill, bravery and courage. BUT ONLY ONE OE YOU MAY PASS AND HAVE THE HONOR OE KILLING A DRAGON IN FRONT OE THE WHOLE TRIBE!... The first part if you wish to enter the Hairy Hooligan Tribe, you must catch a dragon. That is why I've brought you to this scenic spot. "

The Blacksmith then pointed upper wards at the skull-like formation.

"Just look at Wild Dragon Cliff itself."

All nine of the teenagers tipped their heads backwards to face the top of the cliff. It was an odd dull grey color that loomed dizzily above world. This was the dragon nursery; many different breeds of dragons would often lay their eggs in the various nests inside. Then when a dragon reached a favorable size they would leave the caves and live their wild adventurous lives. The Dragons in Hiccup's pack took Hiccup here a few times just for the fun of it. While Hiccup looked back on those memories with fondness, he found it difficult to remember said fondness when you're talking about killing and eating poor defenseless dragons. Hiccup swallowed hard, thankfully he could tell the dragons inside the cliff were sound asleep, he could tell by the ominous low rumble of their unified snores. The Prince could feel the vibrations in his boots, nobody else seemed to notice.

"Now, do you see the formation of caves halfway up the cliff in the shape of a skull?"

Gobber asked, it was kind of hard miss, the young Hooligans nodded.

"Inside those caves right now area€ 1 Eh give or take three-thousand young dragons, all beginning their first few weeks of winter sleep. "

Everyone lit up with excitement. Hiccup tried to look excited to but it was really hard for him. The Prince obviously having to live amongst dragons, knowing there culture, language, etc., he knew considerably more about dragons than anyone else there. And from what the Prince knew about dragons, going up to a cave of three-thousand young dragons, being a friend or foe, you do not disturb the sleep of any dragon no matter the size or age. It reminded him of a hunting trip the pack took Hiccup on. Once on a hunting trip Hiccup had watched a group of Terrible Terrors devour a deer within a few seconds. Bones included. So as you could imagine, from Hiccup's perspective, this was madness. No one else seemed concerned; Hiccup rolled his eyes at the anxious Hooligans to be typical ignorance among Vikings, it almost annoyed the Prince.

"Now, in a few minutes, I want you to take your baskets and start climbing the cliffa€10nce you are in the cave entrance you're on your own, I am too large to squeeze my way into the tunnels."

Tuffnut leaded into to his sister, he then whispered.

"I'll say, it's a miracle he can even squeeze into anything."

The Terrible Twins chuckled lightly. Gobber didn't seem to notice.

"So you will enter the caves, quietly- and that means everyone…unless ya want to become the last winter meal for three thousand starving dragons, HA HA HA HA!"

Gobber laughed heartily at his own dark joke, everyone else only seemed to sweat.

"So you all will pick up one sleeping dragon, lift it gently into your basket and then quietly leave the Caliban Caves. So, any questions "

Gobber said with a smile, nobody had any questions.

"Right so off ya go then, oh, and in the unlikely event you do wake the dragons and you'd have to be incredibly idiotic to do that, run like thunder for the entrance, dragons don't like wintry weather, the snow will stop them in their tracks…probably. "

"Well that's reassuring."

Hiccup muttered to himself. Gobber went on cheerfully.

"I need not tell you, anyone who returns without a dragon will fail initiation and be thrown out of the Hooligan Tribe and placed into permanent exile. There are no failures in our Tribe."

Hiccup smiled, exile sounded fun, anything would be better than to be in a tribe of complete dragon killing lunatics. But he owed it to the Night Fury, The Prince had to save that dragon's life and if he had to do some things that he would not be proud of then so be it. But he would not kill a dragon, not as long as he walked on this bleak desolate world, would he ever do that. Gobber then gave the Hooligan salute.

"In half an hours' time you will be on your way to being full members of the Hairy Hooligan Tribe or breakfasting with Thor and Odin in Valhalla with dragon's teeth in your bottoms!

Screamed Gobber with horrid enthusiasm.

"DEATH OR GLORY!"

He yelled. The Young Hooligans mimicked the salute while saying.

"DEATH OR GLORY!"

Hiccup wanted to say _'You bunch of Nimrods, if you yell any louder your gonna wake up those dragons before we even start'_ , but he did not want to get pummeled into the ground by Gobber the Belch. The Blacksmith then moved out of the way and went to go find a comfortable rock to sit on and eat his clam and tomato sandwich. All eyes turned to Eishlegs who seemed to be sweating up a storm.

"So, Ummm… yeah…errr . "

Eishlegs had trouble trying to hold a straight face, he was so nervous. Gobber pretty much put him on the spot and the husky blonde boy wasn't used to being the center of attention. Snotface Snotlout smiled gleefully as he shoved Eishlegs out of the way and took charge.

"Okay, listen up."

He whispered in a sadistic menacing fashion.

"I'm in charge, not Eishlegs, and anyone who says otherwise gets a knuckle sandwich from Dogsbreath."

Dogsbreath the Duhbrain grunted happily as he pounded his fists together in a fierce way.

"Show e'm what I mean!"

Dogsbreath then kicked Eishlegs in the stomach while he was still down. Hiccup eyes narrowed with rage and symphony for Eishlegs. No one else seemed to care; they were to focused on Snotlout. Nobody objected, nobody except for Hiccup, who smiled a smug grin as he said.

"HEY! New guy pay attention."

Snotlout hissed at Hiccup, who turned his eyes to face the great bully of a boy.

"Rope yourselves together; the best climber should go first."

Hiccup only smiled, he slowly began to walk up to Snotlout.

"Why that be you won't it,Snotarse Snotlout, you're the best at everything aren't ya."

Snotlout grinned his teeth in anger; it was difficult to tell if Hiccup was laughing at him or not because of just the confident smugness of his attitude.

"That's right new guy, I AM, Bash him Dogsbreath."

Dogsbreath nodded before he aimed a straight punch at Hiccup, but then to the amazement of everyone there. Hiccup dodged Dogsbreath 's punch, again Dogsbreath tried to punch the small boy into the ground and again Hiccup dodged. The Prince smiled nervously, this brute of a boy was strong, but Hiccup had an advantage, he was strong and acrobatic.

"Really, you're having this fool fight your own battles Snotlout? I thought you were the best at everything?"

Hiccup said with a smile, the other Young Hooligans looked on in shock at the situation Snotlout was in. Astrid starred on with suspicion, but then she shook her head dismissively as she continued

to watch the fight as Dogsbreath couldn't even get a solid punch on Hiccup. Snotlout then joined the fight he attempted to grab Hiccup in a bear hug so Dogsbreath could easily punch Hiccup to death. But

Hiccup jumped over Snotlout and landed his skinny feet on his helmet, and then he jumped off right as Dogsbreath punched Snotlout in the face. Hiccup laughed for a moment at Snotlout 's dismay, but the

Prince's chuckle soon faded once he got a look at Snotlout 's enraged red face. Hiccup then burst out laughing again.

"You're face! Ya look like the ass end of a north bond yak!"

"He's dead. "

Speedyfist whispered to Tuffnut. Snotlout then charged at Hiccup like a raging bull, the Prince oddly enough only just stood there laughing. Then when Snotlout was only a few feet away from grabbing

Hiccup and probably murdering him, the prince barrel rolled out of Snotlout 's way. Snotlout then slammed into mountainside head first and fell to the ground disoriented. Everyone there looked at Hiccup,

who then walked over to Fishlegs and helped the husky blonde up.

"Up and Adam, Fishlegs."

After Hiccup helped Fishlegs up, all the young recruit's eyes turned to him. Hiccup smiled and shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know why you're all looking at me, he's in charge."

All eyes turned to Fishlegs.

"Ummma, Right, rope yourselves together; the best climber should go first. "

Fishlegs said timidly. Wartihog then asked.

"Well, what about Snotlout?"

Hiccup then said.

"Right, somebody wake up Snotlout."

Astrid rolled her sky-blue eyes.

"Do I gotta do everything around here?"

Astrid then walked over to Snotlout and picked him buy the collar of his black vest. She then punched him in the face seven times. Snotlout got up groggily, still angry at Hiccup, but his anger seemed to have subsided to an extent. Fishlegs then timidly ordered everybody to rope themselves together. Hiccup was last to be tied on next to Fishlegs. He really didn't seem to care who he was tied to or where. Hiccup just wanted this to just end. Despite, his calm collected smug attitude, he was nervous, nervous about killing baby dragons. Hel, nervous about said dragons killing him and everyone else in the process. Anyway, Hiccup was tied behind Fishlegs and the blonde husky boy behind Dogsbreath.

"Oh, brilliant. "

Muttered Fishlegs.

"I'm about to enter a cave full of man eating reptiles, tied up to seven complete lunatics excluding you of course."

Fishlegs said glancing over to Hiccup. Hiccup smiled.

"Hey, I'm just glad I'm not one of the seven complete lunatics. "

Fishlegs then said.

"Hey, thank you for fending off Dogsbreath and Snotlout earlier; ya didn't have to do that."

"It's alright Fishlegs, but going back to watch ya said earlier, I don't think the dragons are gonna be that big of issue."

Hiccup said backwards glancing at the large spiraling mountain. It was then the climb began. Ten Teenagers began to climb up the mountainside. It was a perilous climb; the rocks were slippery and far between. The other Vikings were overexcited with glee and making the ascent far too quickly. In fact, Tuffnut grabbed onto Ruffnut's foot and nearly pulled her down.

"Get your hand off my foot you idiot!"

"Get your foot off my hand!"

Tuffnut and Ruffnut continued to yell at one another but eventually Tuffnut missed his footing and fell of the mountain along with his sister. Luckily Tuffnut fell onto Dogsbreath who caught him by the back of his trousers and heaved him back onto the rock again. Ruffnut fell a few feet more than her brother but Hiccup managed to reach for her arm and pull her back onto the rock.

"There ya go, wouldn't want ya to fall back down and be a pretty little stain now would we?"

Hiccup said nervously as he tried to keep his footing. Ruffnut blushed a delicate shade of red before she began to climb back up to her annoying brother. Astrid rolled her eyes again and continued to focus on the climb. After much climbing, they finally made it to the caves of the cliff. Hiccup glanced down at the sea pounding on the rocks down below and Gobber the Belch sleeping on a dry patch of dirt.

"Untie the ropes."

Ordered Snotlout, but without the usual bark that he had in his voice. His mind was too busy popping with excitement over the ever-present dangers ahead. Fishlegs upon reaching the top asked weakly.

"So, who goes in first?"

Everyone looked around, none of them wanted to go in first. Snotlout then grinned a malicious smile.

"How about the new guy because if any of the dragons are awake, he'll be the first to know about it."

All eyes turned to Hiccup, the Prince took a deep breath and he said. The Prince of Dragons was many things, but not a coward.

"Fine, I'll go."

Hiccup then began to squeeze his way into the tight rocky tunnel. The tunnel was dark long and twisty with all kinds of jagged rock formations. The tunnel was dripping with moisture and constantly changing in size. Sometimes it was large enough for the Hooligans to walk up right. Other times it was so narrow and claustrophobic that the young Vikings could only just squeeze through. Squirming on their stomachs like worms in the wet soil. After what seemed like an eternity of walking and crawling into the heart of the cliff. The stench of dragons grew stronger and stronger, until it became unbearable. That is when the tunnel opened out into a gigantic cavern. The cavern was filled with more dragons then any human alive could imagine have existed. Dragons of all shapes and sizes, from Terrible Terrors to premature Monstrous Nightmares, they all littered the walls and most of the cavern floor. They lit up the room with an explosion of color and size. Hiccup had a wide smile of happy disbelief, they were more dragons here then there were in the Red Death's Lair. There were dozens of species Hiccup had heard of and countless more that he never knew existed. Some deadly, some friendly all asleep. Hiccup started sweating when he remembered why he was here. To capture one of these remarkable creatures and eat it, he had to come up with some sort of plan to free the dragons they were about to capture, but he could deal with that later. Hiccup looked at the dragons; he gazed at the massive piles the Deadly Nadders were in, the Monstrous Nightmares roasting like giant bats on the ceiling walls. Hiccup kept telling himself they were still asleep, but their unified snores were so loud and so deep that it seemed to penetrate right through Hiccup's body and vibrate around his insides. Causing his insides to churn and forcing his soft meaty heart to be beat at the same tempo. If one, just one of these countless dragons were to wake up, it would spell death for the Young Hooligans. Hiccup then said under his breathe.

"I won't think about, just take a deep breath, I will not think about it…"

Just then the other Hooligans entered the cavern, Snotlout looked back to Speedyfist.

"Hey Speedyfist, do ya got a light?"

Snotlout asked in a voice no louder than a whisper. Speedyfist chuckled softly.

"Da ya really need ta ask?"

Speedyfist said as he went into his pockets in search of some homemade flare. He had a nasty habit of setting things of fire and would often cause a ruckus. He even sometimes went around tipping Yaks along with Tuffnut and Ruffnut. But anyway, after digging into his pockets, Speedyfist handed Snotlout a small flare.

"That's all I got, Gobber confiscated the rest after I burned down Mildew's sheep farm."

Hiccup sighed; maybe it was because his eyes were more adjusted to the darkness after living in dark places most of life, but he thought of the idea of a flare to be utterly ridiculous. There were glow-worms and Fire-worms that lit up the cave entrance with a dim light. But even Hiccup had to admit that the flare did seem to comfort him a little. The light helped Hiccup cope with the thoughts of him not being eaten alive by young dragons. None of the other Vikings were thinking about it though. Ignorance can be bliss in situations like this. Their eyes were popping with excitement, hands over their noses to keep out the smell, searching for the biggest dragon they could find that could fit into their baskets. Dragons also represented status; if you got a Nadder you were considered an able warrior with loyalty and smarts. If ya got a Monstrous Nightmare, you were considered a fierce Viking with not much happening in the brain department. The same went for the Gronckle ' s only if you got a Gronckle you were smart, tough and had a soft side. If you got a Zippleback that meant you were a stealth fighter with personality issues. If ya got a Night Fury, you were considered the greatest thing since Beowulf, Thor and Baldr all mixed into a blender. Anyway Snotlout had been making a fuse about finding a bright red Monstrous Nightmare.

"We'll would ya look at that, a Monstrous Nightmare, the greatest killing machine on the planet. Cool to look at, stealthy and great fighters, just like me."

Snotlout then picked up the Nightmare and plopped it into his basket. Wartihog and Dogsbreath were fighting over a bright brown Gronckle. They were both looking at the dragon happily, but when they both grabbed the beast at the same time, Wartihog said.

"I saw it first, I called it."

Boasted Wartihog, Dogsbreath the Duhbrain then said.

"No ya didn't I saw it first."

"You did not; you were too busy eyeing the Zippleback."

Wartihog and Dogsbreath looked at each other menacingly in the eyes. They began a loudly whispered fight over the Gronckle. After a few seconds Dogsbreath won the fight and stuffed the dragon into his basket. Tuffnut and Ruffnut were busy fighting over a Zippleback.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Asked Ruffnut in anger.

"What? I grabbed it first."

Tuffnut whispered innocently. The twins began to fight over the dragon.

"Did not!"

"Did to!"

"Did not!"

"Did to!"

"Did not!"

"Did to!"

It was then the Terrible Twins both dropped the Zippleback, it's scaly body fell menacingly to the cavern floor. The Zippleback opened its four evil crocodile eyes. Everyone in the cavern held their breath. The Zippleback starred in a few directions randomly. The dragon's twin heads it snapped a few times at its other head. It was difficult to tell whether it was awake or not from its blank lifeless expression. Hiccup breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the Zippleback drift back to sleep. Amazingly, none of the other dragons woke up, a few groggily grumbled but most were in such a deep sleep that they barely even noticed. Perhaps these dragons were so dead to the world, that nothing would wake them. Everyone in the room slowly let out their breath. With quiet anger Hiccup went to pick up the Zippleback and a slight more yellowish Zippleback. Then he handed the two dragons to the Terrible Twins.

"You get this one and you get this one."

He said giving the dragons to Ruffnut and Tuffnut, it was actually somewhat difficult for Hiccup to let go of those dragons and hand them to these complete maniacs, but Hiccup did. Hiccup pointed at the two of them.

"Now that's the last I better here about this."

Hiccup then walked away to go find himself a dragon. The Twins waited until Hiccup was out of earshot and then Tuffnut said to Ruffnut.

"Hey! Yours is bigger!"

The two began to quietly fight again. Astrid rolled her eyes.

"Mutton Heads."

Astrid said as she plopped a Deadly Nadder into her basket.

Speedyfist kept letting out prayers to Loki, the patron God of sneaky exploits as he picked up a small Gronckle. Wartihog then went and found himself a bright grey Zippleback as well. Hiccup edged forward cautiously and kept looking for the seemingly most unconscious looking dragon. The Prince then glanced down to see a rather large Monstrous Nightmare that was icy cold to the touch. Hiccup smiled lightly, you see you can tell when a dragon is asleep or in a sleep coma when it's icy cold to the touch. Dragons can stay in this state for hundreds even thousands of years. Hiccup grabbed the small Nightmare and maneuvered it into his basket as quickly as he could.

 _"I did it, I did it, I did it."_

The Prince chanted happily to himself, at least now he wouldn't raise much suspicion. Everything was going to plan so to speak. All he had to do now was manipulate the Blacksmith, fix the Night Fury's tail and leave this forsaken place. Hiccup looked over at the only one in the group that didn't have a dragon and that was of course Fishlegs . Everyone who had one now seemed to be making their way down toward the cave they came in. Fishlegs was nervously approaching a pile of naughtily entangled Deadly Nadders, on very loud tip toes. If you thought the Terrible Twins were bad at Burglary, they were, but Fishlegs was even worse than the Terrible Twins put together. Hiccup stopped dead in his tracks.

"Fishlegs don't do it. It's not worth it. Fishlegs please, don't do it. "

But Fishlegs was fed up with Snotlout and being pushed around by everyone else. He was going to himself a cool dragon and prove to the others that he was fully capable of taking care of himself. Then he was going to pound that dragon into the dirt he did not say anything about eating it though. Fishlegs then got down on his knees and grabbed the tail of one of the Nadders. He then gently yanked on the tail end. The entire pile of Deadly Nadders came crashing down in a furious collapse. Everyone Viking in the cavern gave a horrified gasp, most of the Nadder 's snapped crossly at each other before drifting back to sleep. But the largest ugliest Nadder in the pile creaked it's reptilian eyes open and blinked a few times. The Nadder starred forward sightless, and ready to fall back to sleep. But then Fishlegs, who had been standing there frozen for the past few minutes, let out a sneeze. A horrible sneeze that echoed throughout the caverns, the brute of a Nadder starred sightlessly ahead but then it opened its eyes fully dilated. Its tail filled with large prickly spikes opened. Fishlegs ducked as the Nadder fired its tail spikes at him, and narrowly missed the husky Viking.

"Oh, dear Thor."

Whispered Speedyfist, the Nadder's head suddenly whipped around to face Fishlegs. Its jaw snapped violently, the dragon's wings unfolded to their greatest extent. The Nadder then advanced forward and began to shriek loud cackles that began to make the other dragons stir. Hiccup then shouted.

"Run!"

Hiccup then grabbed Fishlegs arm and dragged him away, the Vikings ran for the exit like madmen. Fishlegs and Hiccup were the last ones to get there. They had two minutes start on the dragons because it took a long time for the Nadder to wake up the rest of the dragons. But Hiccup could hear a furious rage as the dragons started to pour into the tunnel. In Dragonese they shrieked.

 _"Kill the humans that plaque our caves! Eat their flesh, feast on_

 _their bones! Kill the swine!"_

Upon hearing that. Hiccup ran forward a little faster. The Dragons were smaller and could move more swiftly then the recruits and even see better in the dark, but they were held up when the tunnel got smaller and they had to fold there wings back to squirm through.

"I-I Haven't Got a Dragon!"

Fishlegs breathed queasily. Hiccup looked over at Fishlegs slightly annoyed.

"THAT! Should be the least of your worries!"

Hiccup said as he squirmed frantically on his elbows when they entered a narrow portion of the cave. The cackles of the dragons getting louder and seemingly closer.

"They're gaining on us!"

Fishlegs then screamed out of stubborn panic.

"NO DRAGON!"

"OH FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!"

Hiccup snapped, he loosened his basket and then tossed it to Fishlegs.

"Here! If it's worth more than your life take mine!"

Then the Prince loosened the basket from Fishlegs 's back before heading off down the cave again. Hiccup then turned and went back into the darkness of the cavern. Even as the roaring was getting louder.

"What are you doing?! "

Eishlegs asked frantically as Hiccup returned only a few moments later. Hiccup let out an arm that Eishlegs grabbed onto to help haul him through. There was a sleek Monstrous Nightmare on his tail. Hiccup grabbed a rock and hurled it at snout of the beast. The Monstrous Nightmare squealed in pain as it retreated for one vital moment. They turned a corner and then they could see light from the end of the final tunnel. Fishlegs rushed forward toward the light as Hiccup squirmed through the last bit of darkness. But then a Deadly Nadder sank its fangs into Hiccup's left foot. Hiccup was so desperate to get out that he barely noticed the beast on his foot; in fact he actually dragged the Nadder along with him out of the caverns. But then as Hiccup's head made it back outside, the Prince saw the familiar face of Gobber the Belch. Gobber the Belch hauled Hiccup by the head and shoulders out of the cave. The Blacksmith then whacked the Nadder on Hiccup's leg away with one fell swoop. When Gobber got Hiccup fully out of the cavern he yelled.

"Jump! "

Gobber then stunned one dragon with one blow from his good hand.

"What do ya mean jump!?"

Hiccup asked in disbelief as he glanced down miles of open sea and the rocky bluffs spaced in between. He hesitated for a moment. The drop was dizzying.

"No time to climb down!"

Gobber said as he violently shoved a rock into a Gronckle ' s mouth and

then bouncing two Nadder 's against his gigantic belly.

" JUMP! "

Hiccup took a deep breath in and leapt down of the cliff, it was not like he had his flight suit handy. He couldn't glide his way through the sky and to safety. But Hiccup manned up and dived head first toward the sea. Narrowly the Prince plunged through the air, when Hiccup hit the water it didn't feel like water, more like hitting an icy rock. It vaguely reminded him of the time he fell into the water when he was first designing his flight suit and a Zippleback had to go fish him out. Hiccup gasped for air, as he took a good look around and was immediately drenched by the gigantic splash of Gobber the Belch who landed a few feet away. With furious shrieks the premature dragons swarmed out of the cave and began to dive bomb the floating Vikings. Hiccup dived down again as the dragons hovered over him,afraid to enter the water. Dragons loathed the cold, especially chilly water. Eventually Hiccup had to resurface, with relief he watched the dragons fly to the skies above to scream Dragonese insults.

 _"Weak choppers ! "_

 _"Tear their wings off!"_

 _"Feast on their flesh!"_

Hiccup then swam to shore along with Gobber the Belch and the rest of the Hooligan recruits. The Hooligans prided themselves on being exceptionally good swimmers, but it's hard to stay afloat when you have a trapped terrified dragon on your back. The Hooligans scrambled over the beach, the safety of shores only put the Hooligans into a false sense of security. Tuffnut shacked his fist in the air.

"Yeah you better fly away dragons. Just you try and get me, I dare you! "

A dragon not put off by the cold pre-winter air came shrieking down. He landed on Tuffnut's back and started savaging him, sinking it's fangs into Tuffnut's shoulder.

"OW! OW-OW ! I am hurt, I am very much hurt!"

Tuffnut screamed as he tried to get the dragon off his back. Gobber came in with a rock club prophetic. He bashed the dragon from Tuffnut. It was more painful for Tuffnut because half the time Gobber severely missed the dragon and instead hit Tuffnut. The dragon let go of Tuffnut and flapped away. But a whole wave of dragons replaced that one, all flying down ready to attack. Miniature fire balls shooting down from their mouths. Talons spread to ready to pounce. Teeth sharpened to a razors edge. Gobber the Belch stood, legs spread apart, from his belt he grabbed a large double-headed ax. The Blacksmith whirred it round and round, he through back his head and yelled a blood thirsty cry. That echoed throughout the sea stacks and even scared off some of the dragons. The hairs of every young Viking there stood on end. But the dragons had the advantage in numbers, they just kept on coming. Gobber then let go of the ax. Spilling end to end, the ax soared upwards it hit the biggest dragon of the lot, handle end. The Dragon was simply knocked out, but not dead. The other dragons began to rethink their strategy. Some of them scrambled over each other in a haste to fly back to the cave. The others came to a halt, hovering uncertainly screaming in defiance but keeping their distance.

"Waste of a good ax."

Grunted Gobber.

"Head for the boat, get it outta see before they come back."

Nobody needed any more encouragement other than that. The Young Hooligans pushed the boat out to sea and piled on Gobber the Belch then proudly got back onto the boat, as the Hooligans made their escape. By the end of it all, many of the young Hooligans were exhausted. Somewhere in the middle of the sea, Gobber decided it was best they took a break. Breathing heavily, exhausted from the harsh swim, and some of them with minor injuries, what they all needed now was a break. But what they got instead was more of Gobber the Belch's yelling. But not before the Blacksmith very carefully continued heads again, to make sure he hadn't lost anyone. Gobber the Belch had spent an unpleasant few minutes at the bottom of the cliff after he got up from his power nap. He was wondering why there was such a terrible racket coming from the cave. Also what he was going to say to Stoic the Vast if Gobber walked up to the Chief and said.

 _"It went great! They all died horrible deaths and are all drinking mead with Thor in Valhalla._ " But the Blacksmith for whatever reason didn't think that was tacked or sensitive enough.

But then again, speaking with tacked or sensitivity where not Gobber 's strong suits. He preferred to bash

people on the head and ask questions later. After a few minutes he came up with.

 _"It went great! They all died pleasant deaths and all drinking mead with Thor in Valhalla, sorry about that."_ Secretly he was relieved that none recruits died in the Caliban Caves. But still, the Blacksmith was not in the best of moods. He then exploded with wrath, as the young Hooligans sat shivering violently from the chilly waters.

"NEVER! Never in fourteen years have I come across a bunch of hopeless barnacles as you lot. Which of you useless mollusks was responsible for waking up the dragons?"

All eyes turned back to Eishlegs and Hiccup. Eishlegs was sweating, wheezing and shivering at the same time. He dreaded the thought of being yelled at by Gobber the Belch. With a deep intake. Hiccup raised his hand and said.

"I was."

All eyes turned over to Hiccup in disbelief, 'did he just cover for Fishlegs?' was what they all thought simultaneously. Gobber sighed again, before exploding.

"Oh, that's brilliant!" He bellowed. "Just brilliant! The new recruit who had so potential, some hope,

some pride, ends up like the rest of your magnificent barnacle brains! Excluding you Eishlegs. At the tender age of sixteen you all do your best to annihilate yourself and the rest of you in a simple military exercise. "

No one said a thing after that, but Gobber went on.

"In addition to the Limpet rations ordered by Stoic the Vast the rest of you are on limpet rations for another three weeks." Everyone groaned annoyed.

"You're all lucky I'm letting you eat these dragons' you all do have you're dragons, I HOPE." Gobber said crossly, everyone nodded meekly. Fishlegs looked down at

his basket and then to Hiccup who was also nodding meekly.

"Right then, were returning to Berk. Full speed ahead."

The Viking Long boat then drifted toward the familiar shores of Berk.


	7. Chapter 7

The Prince of Dragons

Chapter 7: Nicknames

BERK

Rain began to drop from the sky, slowly at first but then faster than anything you can imagine. Hiccup and the other eight Hooligans miserably continued to psuh through the murky water. Gobber the Belch continued to yell at the young Vikings, but it was more of a somewhat gleeful yell than anything else.

"Even though that was a complete fiasco, it was not a total disaster; you are now on your first steps to becoming a Hooligan Warriors but remember only one of you will have the honor of being truly excepted into the tribe."

Everyone on the narrow Viking boat seemed too lit up a little with glee. All except for Hiccup, who was sideways glancing out to the open sea, he only heard every third word Gobber was saying. The Prince had done it, he had done what the blacksmith had wanted him to do, he went on this horrible dragon murdering quest, nearly got eaten alive by three-thousand dragons and was sitting in a boat with ten complete morons he didn't even like. Well except Fishlegs, he seemed like a nice enough guy. Everyone else, was a complete arse, especially that Snotlout guy and his little gang of miscreants. Hiccup was optimistic though; he could now at least work with the Blacksmith and begin to make a new tail for the Night Fury. Fishlegs gave a sharp nudge to Hiccup. Hiccup was a little confused, he was ready to call out him out on it, Fishlegs gave a subtle point in Gobber's direction.

"Now, bring a good sword or an ax tomorrow! Tomorrow we begin the second step of initiation, dragon training."

The Young Hooligans to be, eyes lit up with excitement, Hiccup only grew tense and balled his fists. This people really were arses, how would they like to be killed for sport. How would they like to be forced into a cage and treated like a monster? But the Prince kept his cool and tried to remain calm, that is until Snotlout leaned back and said smugly.

"Smart work back there, Useless, can't wait to see you on the battlefield."

"Useless?"

Hiccup asked annoyed.

"That's you're new nickname, The Useless New Guy, and the Worthless Fishlegs, you guys make quite a team…"

Hiccup wanted to say something, but then Gobber boomed.

"Silence! This is you're initiation not a pleasant day out in the country! Silence or you'll be eating lug worms for the rest of your lives!"

Everyone on the boat gagged, lug worms made limpets look like yak

jerky. When everyone was silent, Gobber the Belch continued more calming.

"But first, I presume you all have your dragonsâ€¦"

Everyone nodded, including Hiccup. Gobber then clapped his hands together.

"Splendid! There are however four more aspects to your initiation, we'll dive into those latter. Now when we get back to Berk, we can begin the slow painful process of skinning them alive and then baking their insides."

Hiccup gave a morbid look, a look more morbid then the one he gave during the talk about the lug-worms. The rest of the Hooligans were curious, none of them never had dragon. Most of them thought it tasted kinda like chicken. The young Hooligans joy turned to dismay as Gobber then said.

"Right, so who among you is going to cook the dragons?"

Everyone groaned, especially Tuffnut. Cooking took time and effort, and most Young Vikings, only put most of their effort into killing various things.

"Cooking's a girl's job. Get some girl to do it."

Ruffnut smiled nastily.

"I nominate Tuffnut."

"Yeah! Wait what?"

Tuffnut said confused. There was a lighthearted chuckle at Tuffnut's expense as Hiccup stood a crossroads at what to do. He could just let those dragons die horribly and not raise any suspicion. Or he could do something stupid and risky. Hiccup took a deep breathe in, stood up and said.

"I'll do it."

All eyes turned to Hiccup once again. He could tell what they were thinking; the guy who beat up Dogsbreath and Snotlout wants to cook? The Prince awkwardly scratched the back of his head and smiled.

"Yeah, ya know, I mean, there's not enough bread making Vikings out there, or small home repair Vikings. I mean come on; sometimes ya gotta set back and take one for the team I guess."

Gobber nodded solemnly.

"I guess it would make up for your fiasco in the Caves. You got the job boyo."

Hiccup smiled again awkwardly before sitting back down, he then went back to rowing with Fishlegs. It was a poor excuse 'not enough bread-making Vikings', but the prince couldn't let any dragons die on his watch. After a few long hours of drifting and rowing, the band of Hooligans eventually made it back to the remote isle of Berk. By the

time the young Vikings made it back to Berk, they were soaked to the bone by the constant slow by relentless rain. They docked over in Hooligan Harbor, which like the Great Hall was a quiet and vacant. Gobber still had said one final thing as he slowly walked of the long boat.

"Now remember, you can all officially call yourselves members of the tribe after you pass initiation. You'll be able to serve on the front lines in war, kill dragons and do what Viking Heroes have always done since anyone can remember. Just try not to screw it up, another fiasco like that and I'll have to change me skives."

Gobber then faced the young Hooligans as they began to hurriedly rush off the long-boat, they tried to look like proper Hooligans. All except for Hiccup who still was starring off into space, wishing he was somewhere else. Before Hiccup could finally leave this Nightmare, Gobber did the complicated Hooligan salute and shouted.

"Heroes or Exiles?!"

"HEROES OR EXILES!?"

Yelled ten boys and girls fanatically back to the blacksmith. Everyone then dispersed, and the young Hooligans began to make their way back to the village of Berk. Hiccup was still starring off into space, he didn't seem to have noticed that everyone else had already begun to make their way back to the Hooligan Village. Gobber hung back to pat Hiccup on the back, confused Hiccup asked.

"What is it?"

"Don't take me for a fool boy, I saw the way Fishlegs was sweating up a storm like Thor in a Hurricaneâ€¦why'd ya cover for him."

Hiccup sighed for a moment.

"Because no one else would, alrightâ€¦please don't punish Fishlegs, that guy has enough problems as it is."

The Prince said with honesty in his eyes, Fishlegs was probably the only one out of the group of Hooligan misfits that he could stand and like to an extent, come to think of it Fishlegs was his first human friend. Gobber only smiled, his slack jaw showing.

"Punish?! No, ya have me wrong be, I'm here to congratulate youâ€¦"

"I, wait? What?"

Hiccup said confused.

"It takes guts to take the blame for another person, and to be honest, I can't stand most of the arse's I call students. Except for Fishlegs and by extension you."

Hiccup smiled a bit.

"Thanks, that's really kind, so is there still a spot for open for a Blacksmith's Apprentice?"

Gobber chuckled a bit as he patted Hiccup on the back with his good hand again.

"Come by tomorrow, today's not good, I gotta plan tomorrow's lessons! Also, you need to cook up some nice hefty dragon meat."

Gobber said with a laugh, Hiccup put on a false grin. Never had his heart constantly rose and fall in the span of two minutes. The Blacksmith was indeed a peculiar person. Gobber the Belch eventually stumbled off as Hiccup slowly collected his thoughts. He sat down on the wooden harbor and removed the basket from his back that held a scared tiny dragon. Hiccup had thought that the dragon nesting inside the basket had died, for it had not moved in who knows how long. The Prince peered inside, he couldn't get a good look at the dragon, but he could clearly see that some sort of dragons was slowly breathing. It appeared to be in a sleep coma, dragons can hibernate for extended periods of time, some even hundreds of years. Hiccup had thought about letting the poor creature out of its basket imprisonment into the real world. Better the dragon dies miles away trying to return home then get eaten alive by bloodthirsty savages. The Prince thought it over and against his better judgment; he decided to keep the little dragon, as not to raise any suspicion. He then began to walk back over to Hooligan Village; the Prince had the fortune to run into Fishlegs who was sitting miserably by Hooligan Harbor, looking over his basket, a guilty look on his face. Fishlegs murmured to himself.

"I hate being a Viking…"

Hiccup walked up to Fishlegs and sat down next to him. It had become a bit difficult seeing how what started as a mere drizzle had turned to horizontal driving rain that had the strength of one of the gale force winds. The Prince then asked.

"What's the matter Fishlegs?"

"What, after a narrow escape from horrible death first thing this morning? Or maybe the limpet rations for the few weeks or so."

Complained Fishlegs.

"Followed by complete rejection by the junior half of the tribe, nobodies gonna even side-ways glance at me for years after this, except for you, but then again, you're just a weirdo like me."

Hiccup only smiled and laughed.

"Being normal is overrated; besides Fishlegs weirdoes like us are what make life exciting. Would you rather be a normal person like the rest of those Snot eating morons? Or would ya rather be a weirdo, who's different and unique." Fishlegs smiled for only a split second, he then looked over to his basket, and he frowned again. He then reached for his basket and handed it over to Hiccup, as the dragon inside plunged wildly, attempting to get out. Puzzled, Hiccup asked. "What's this for?"

"You can have this dragon back if ya like Hiccup, I warn ya, there feisty little creatures when there wet and cross…"Fishlegs said miserable, he rambled on."Gobber's gonna go off like a typhoon when he finds out you don't have a dragonâ€¦"

Hiccup smiled and took the basket out of Fishlegs's hands and placed it back on the ground next to him.

"But I have got one."

The Prince said, Fishlegs stopped as he didn't seem to fully understand the situation.

"I know it is yours really."

Fishlegs said with a weary sigh.

"I think I'll find myself a boat and just sail off until I reach some place civilized, Rome perhaps. I've always wanted to go to Rome, and I haven't got a hope in Valhalla of passing initiation anyway-"

"Rome's overrated, besides the food's horrible."

Hiccup interrupted trying to lighten the mode; also, he knew from experience but that's another story for another time. Anyway, the Prince then got straight to the point.

"No, you don't understand, I gotta another one in my basket."

Hiccup insisted as he then went for the basket and placed it in Fishlegs's hands. Meanwhile, Fishlegs's jaw dropped.

"How?"

"I got it when I went back into the tunnel."

Hiccup explained.

"Well blister my barnacles, you're really lucky, so what kind is it?"

Fishlegs asked curiously, he had always had a fascination with dragons. That was probably the only thing Fishlegs had over the other recruits, he knew what stats and abilities each dragon had.

"A Monstrous Nightmare…No, no wait a Timberjack…No, No wait, wait…a Nadder."

Hiccup pulled his basket right behind his back, he rolled his eyes.

"Probably just a Terrible Terror or a Commoner Garden, besides who cares?"

The Prince said as he began to walk away slowly, Fishlegs quickly pulled his basket over his shoulders and followed Hiccup. He began to make an argument about how a dragon determines your status here on Berk. The Prince was only half listening, his mind was elsewhere. Hiccup needed to pay the Night Fury a visit sometime. He could only imagine what that dragon was going through. Also, he had begun to reconsider risking his life to get Fishlegs a dragon, Hiccup needed to maintain a low profile; he didn't want to go around making friends. But then again, he did like a Fishlegs, he was a nice guy. On the other hand, this may turn out better in the long run. Who would think that, The Prince of Dragons, would be posing as a Viking Warrior, no one possibly could, and nobody seemed to be suspecting a thing. So, on the whole, Hiccup was fairly pleased with himself. Things where looking up. That is until he came across the other Hooligans to be. The rest of the Hooligans where littered around the town entrance, examining each other's dragons. Judging one another, based on what dragon they caught. Hiccup sighed; he really didn't want to deal with Snotlout. He had attempted to sneak by the group, but Snotlout had stopped him.

"Let's see what pathetic creature the Useless has got."

"Maybe it'll be a bread making dragon!"

Yelled Wartihog from a far, the rest of Snotlout's gang laughed cruelly. Snotlout then yanked the basket from Hiccup's back and pulled off the lid. What happened next, nobody could of saw coming. Snotlout let the basket drop to the ground. His face in abject horror, everyone then gathered around to see a Whispering Death, curled up in a tiny spiky ball. Its spiked body carefully breathing short fast breathes. Everyone backed away from the vicious looking dragon, except for Hiccup. Hiccup looked at his hands; he was wondering how he hadn't had a thousand tiny puncture wounds littered across his hands after picking it up practically blind in the darkness of the Caliban Caves. The Prince went to go collect the basket, carefully not to disturb the Whispering Death's sleep.

"What's wrong with you all? You look like you guys have seen the face of Hel herself."

The Prince wasn't terrified more fascinated by the little prickly dragon, he had never seen a Whispering Death before. Whispering Death's were large brute like dragons that didn't get along with anyone, dragon and human alike. Often the Dragons in the Caves would tell Hiccup stories about how a herd of them once sunk a whole island in one afternoon. The Night Fury often scoffed at these stories about Whispering Deaths, he wasn't too fond of the creatures, nobody really knew the reason why. Hiccup looked around to see everyone spaced far away from him, Fishlegs hiding behind a barrel said.

"Whispering Deaths are a death omen. Anyone who catches, or even sees one will die soon."

Again, Hiccup rolled his eyes.

"Oi you're all bloody mad! Superstitious nonsense, it's asleep and a baby nonetheless. You're all gonna let a Whispering Death, not a month old scare the pants off you guys?"

Hiccup said as he departed, nobody looked at him in the same light as before. Some of them looked at him as if he was a dead man. Hiccup was pleased with this terrified looks, it reminded him of a few nights ago, when these same people were looking on in abject horror at the Prince of Dragons. He always relished in the fear. He turned around for a second to face the still cowering Hooligans.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot, try to leave your dragons at Old Wrinkly's place, I'll make you some dragon mutton."

Hiccup said before finally waving goodbye. Everyone there was stunned. Ruffnut spoke what everyone else was thinking.

"He's brave..."

Astrid scoffed.

"Or just incredibly stupid..."

The Prince smiled, despite everything, this was looking to be a fine day. Hiccup then returned to Old Wrinkly's hut, Mulch and Bucket where working to repair Old Wrinkly's door.

"Does this the door frame go here Mulch?!"

"That's a corkscrew! I'm holding the door frame! Get over here and help me!"

Bucket and Mulch were up to their usual shenanigans as Old Wrinkly watched from afar. Old Wrinkly was sitting inside his cluttered little hut, drinking some tea while he poked at a fire with his poking stick. When Hiccup returned the old man asked.

"How did it go boy?"

"Went well, got a dragon…as well as fear, respect and a friend."

Old Wrinkly nodded and laughed a bit, as he sipped his tea.

"What kind of dragon did ya get?"

"Whispering Death." Hiccup replied, awaiting the response.

Old Wrinkly nearly choked on his caramel tea, Bucket and Mulch would have fainted, if they had heard what Hiccup had said. Hiccup rolled his eyes.

"Oh, come on, not you to Old Wrinkly. Grant it a dragon that looks horrify, but no matter how hideous a dragon is it doesn't mean death."

Hiccup said as he took off his basket and placed it by the fire. He then sat down and began to fiddle with some of the stuff on Old Wrinkly's filthy table top. Old Wrinkly took a moment to collect him, he then whispered.

"Oh…Odin no, I don't believe that moronic folklore, it's a dragon, no deadlier than the sea or the wind. Nor any more vile and repugnant then fire. If you agitate it then yes, the sea will sallow you whole and the fire will consume you till there's nothing but ash. Same goes for a dragon. I'm just shocked you got one; most of the youth go for either the plug ugliest of the dragon world or the most beautiful. The Whispering Death is somewhere in between, if anything that dragon should be more related to someone without a way in life."

The Prince nodded in agreement, he had never really thought of dragons like that, let alone the Whispering Death. Old Wrinkly went on.

"The Whispering Death, tunneling all around with direction in life, hoping to find some meaning, but sometimes, it never does…"

Hiccup thought it over for a moment. In a weird way, he was like a Whispering Death; he never met his parents and tried constantly to seek the approval of the other dragons in his pack. Even though he had their respect and even though he was seen as one of their own, he was just empty inside. Like a Whispering Death trying to find his way through the rough land underneath everyone's feet. Old Wrinkly blew out smoke rings from a beautifully decorated pipe he had pulled out from under his tunic. Hiccup grabbed the poking stick from Old Wrinkly's hands and began to the poke the fire, after what Old Wrinkly said, neither of them spoke for a while. After Bucket and Mulch finished repairing Old Wrinkly's door Hiccup said.

"What does that make me?"

"What?"

"Everyone has a specific rank around here for killing dragons, eating e'm catching e'm? What does that make me?"

Old Wrinkly took a long time to think about it. He then chuckled in a wheezy way over his pipe. The Prince looked at him approach fully. Old Wrinkly hurriedly turned the laugh into a cough.

"I don't know, someone interesting…. umm…unique…"

"A weirdo." Hiccup said with a chuckle, he then looked at the tiny little dragon trapped inside of the basket.

"You wouldn't believe how small those things are, I always thought Whispering Deaths grew to be a hundred feet long."

Old Wrinkly blew out some more smoke rings.

"They can beâ€¦but size is all relative, Nadder's, Gronckle's, even Monstrous Nightmares and Whispering Deaths are all super insignificant compared to a real Sea Dragon."

Hiccup sat back up in his chair, his attention fully grasped.

"What you mean like a Scauldron?"

Old Wrinkly shock his head dismissively.

"No, a real Sea Dragon, a real sea dragon is fifty times as big as even the largest Whispering Death. A real Sea Dragon can swallow ten Viking ships with one gulp and not even notice. A real Sea Dragon is a cruel careless mystery, like the mighty ocean itself. One minute, calm as a scallop, the next raging like an octopus."

Hiccup was reminded of the Red Death or some sort of Alpha. He didn't say anything about his life as the Prince though. The Prince then got up.

"Well, Old Wrinkly, I have a friend to go check on. I'll be home for supper."

Old Wrinkly waved goodbye as Hiccup walked out the new built door, he opened it slightly, only to have the door nearly crash down on top of him. Hiccup jumped away out of shear panic. Old Wrinkly sighed and shock his head annoyed.

"Looks like those two sea-weed brains are gonna have to come back tomorrow and fix that door again it's a shame, it looked quite nice." Old Wrinkly mused.

Hiccup after, getting over his quick jump scare made his through the destroyed remains of the door he began to make his way back into the dense forest and to the cove. There was hardly anyone outside, on such a dreary rainy day. There were a few stragglers here and there getting food and supplies for the upcoming brutal winter. Hiccup as naturally as he could go back to the tiny hut where all the fish where held and secured a basket full of mackerel. He made sure, to check for any eels. Dragons had a natural fear of eels, Hiccup never asked why, mostly because whether an eel was mentioned by the pack it would usually end with the death of a dragon after it was unable to control its fire. So Hiccup had often steered away from conversations about eels. After Hiccup made sure the basket had no eels, he began to make his way to the cove. The Prince had a lot on his mind, so he wasn't exactly paying much attention to where he was going. He needed to figure out how to make a prosthetic tail for the Night Fury, and cooking a meal of unsuspecting dragons (which he didn't want to do obviously) and do all of this without being caught or having anyone figure out who he is. While thinking about all of this, The Prince failed to notice a woman with short brain hair and bright emerald eyes emerge from one of the huts. As he was walking, the Prince accidentally walked into a woman carrying a box of chopped up vegetables. They both fell to the ground; the woman's vegetables fell all over the ground. Hiccup went up to the lone woman, he helped her up.

"I'm so sorry miss; I wasn't paying attention..."

Hiccup said as helped the woman to her feet; she too seemed a bit stunned by the whole situation. Instantly Hiccup helped the woman up and he quickly began to pick up the woman's vegetables. In a quick haste, he handed them to her. The Prince then looked into her eyes, her bright green eyes. He then awkwardly handed the woman her vegetables.

"Here miss…sorry about that." Hiccup replied.

The woman only chuckled trying to lighten the mood.

"It's fine, I suppose." The woman replied, as she grappled with the vegetables in her hands.

Hiccup oddly enough felt a weird sense of belong next to this woman, like he knew this woman. The Prince was pretty sure he had never threatened her before on a dragon raid, so who was this person.

"So…miss." Hiccup asked awkwardly.

"Oh, where are my manners, my name is Valka." The older woman said with grace.

Hiccup then realized who this was, he smiled softly.

"Yes, Old Wrinkly told me about you." Hiccup exclaimed with claim.

Valka bit her lip.

"Oh, you've met my father…" Valka said uneasily.

Hiccup only smiled again.

"Met him? He's the nicest guy around!" Hiccup said with odd enthusiasm.

Valka gave Hiccup a peculiar glance, most kids around Hiccup's age would probably run away from Old Wrinkly after he used his amazing 'Soothsaying' abilities. Most of which involved the exact day and year you would die. The Prince went on.

"He's great; the guy fixed me up and then took me in."

Valka remembered this boy from the incident the other day. Though there was something oddly familiar about this boy. What was it about this familiar looking boy.

"Well I best be off, I got someplace to be." Hiccup said before he dashed of, the basket full of fish bouncing like a bashi-ball on his back. Valka only stood there and watched Hiccup run off stunned and confused by the whole events that just transpire. Who was that boy?


	8. Chapter 8

The Prince of Dragons

Chapter 8: Toothless

Berk

Hiccup continued to run when he reached the outskirts of Berk. He made it to the brisk and lively brush of the forest. The Prince then went back to small fox hole where he'd left his helmet and armored plating. His first instinct of course would have been to put his armor and his helmet on, and relish again in the pride of being the Prince of Dragons. But Hiccup thought against this action, if anyone where to accidently catch him putting any of this stuff, he would most definitely have hunted down and killed. So Hiccup just decided to place his belongings inside the barrel with the fish, all except his sword for self-defense of course. The Prince continued to walk along a somewhat laid out dirt path, enjoying the scenery, that is until he heard a large thump. Hiccup instantly recognized this as someone throwing an ax at a tree. Sure, enough when Hiccup walked a few meters further, he saw Astrid practicing her ax throwing. The Prince whispered under his breathe with his face cracking a smile.

"The Lass with Sass…"

Hiccup watched as he leaned against a tree, begrudgingly Astrid tossed her ax from a fair distant toward a large oak tree. Each time she threw that ax, she hit her target almost perfectly. Almost. Her swing was either a little too high or too low. Sometimes a little too far to the right and other times the left. The Prince looked at her form her attractive form, and he could see that Astrid's form was a bit off. When she tossed her ax again, Hiccup then broke the silence and finally said.

"You're doing it wrong."

Astrid lost her concentration, and this time didn't even hit her target. The Hofferson Girl turned, she was both equally parts annoyed, surprised and angry.

"How long where you standing there?"

Hiccup smiled.

"Long enough to know your swing is terrible."

"Really?"

Astrid retrieved her ax and folded her arms. She tensed up.

"Ya wanta test that theory?"

Hiccup dropped his basket of fish and walked up to Astrid, cautiously and slowly.

"Calm your horses; I'm just trying to help ya out."

"I don't need your help."

Hiccup sighed, he took a deep breathe.

"Maybe it would be better if I introduced myself. I'm nameless so call me what you like

"A few names come to mind."

Astrid said annoyed, Hiccup then responded.

"Ya see, this right here, this isn't an introduction, ya gotta actually introduce yourself

Astrid raised her ax to Hiccup's neck. This was incredibly awkward for the Prince, the girl he'd practically proposed to the other day was now holding him at ax point. The worst part was he was nervous, almost as if he was putty in her dainty Viking hands.

"Ya haven't earned that yet."

Hiccup nodded meekly, he began to sweat profusely.

"So does that me you will…um...let me help you?"

The Prince said awkwardly, a girl had never held him at ax point before, well maybe once on the isle of the Bog Burglars. But in Hiccup's defense she sneaked up on him, and she was only four feet tall. Anyway, Hiccup carefully walked over to Astrid, he then put one hand on her back and another on her stomach. Caught off-guard, Astrid pushed her away.

"Get your hands off me! You filthy slug rash."

Hiccup grew puzzled, what had he done wrong? He only put her hands on her, it's not like he had stolen her mackerel or something. Astrid only grew more furious, how could he have been so stupid? How could that nameless Viking have been so naive? The Prince spoke his general confusion.

"Um, okay, what was that about?"

The Prince asked confused.

"Don't you play dumb, you know exactly what that was about!"

Astrid said furious as she tried to hide her embarrassment. Hiccup stepped closer, Astrid only raised her ax. The Prince then said.

"For Thor's sake, I was trying to loosen you're back, you're back is so stiff when you throw that thing, you need to follow through more."

Astrid was about to yell at Hiccup when she realized, that he actually had a good point. Hiccup then stepped forward, Astrid then eased up a bit.

"No funny business or else I'll cut off your hands."

Hiccup was cautious; he had never been this confused in his entire life. He had grown up with dragons that slept on each other like wolves, sometimes in huge piles. But apparently a human being can't touch another human being without it being threatening. So Hiccup walked over to Astrid again and then carefully arched out her spine. Astrid blushed slightly; Hiccup seemed confused by the whole matter. He then pointed to a nearby tree about hundred feet away, it was narrow and a tough to hit target.

"You see that tree, the skinny one?"

Astrid nodded and said.

"Yeah."

"Hit it."

Astrid looked at him like he was mad, but she didn't question him. As Hiccup walked away, she took a deep breathe in and closed one of her eyes. She took aim and then tossed her ax with all her might; it was a perfect swing that slammed right into the narrow tree. Astrid looked on in disbelief, she had hit it, and Hiccup smiled and gave a soft clap.

"Nice job…"

Astrid smiled; she then punched Hiccup on the shoulder. The Prince winced as he grabbed his arm.

"What was that for?"

"That was for touching me…"

She then stretched out her hand, expecting Hiccup to shake it. The Prince was confused by this gesture so Astrid had to literally grab onto Hiccup's hand and shake it for him.

"And that's for the advice."

The Prince smiled a bit, as he starred deep into Astrid's sky-blue eyes. They were like small little light-blue pools. Hiccup scratched the back of his head nervously as he then asked.

"So, have I earned your name yet…"

"Astrid…"

Hiccup nodded.

"Astrid, beautiful name."

The Prince said as he collected his things and Astrid then went to reclaim her ax, they both passed each other. Hiccup sighed, he had lost track of time, hopefully the Night Fury would understand. Astrid had to go home to; her parents were both out along with Stoic and his war party so she had to maintain the family hut. Just as Hiccup was a few feet away from Astrid, the blonde Valkyrie turned around and asked.

"Hey, you wanta do this again sometime?"

Hiccup stopped dead in his tracks, he turned back and simply said.

"Yes, I would."

The Prince then walked toward the cove, as the two finally departed ways.

 **THE HIGH SEAS**

On the high seas of the Barbaric Archipelago, Stoic the Vast's ship the Lucky Thirteen, sailed along with three boats others beside it. On its mast there was a painted dragon, with a sword running through it. Stoic the Vast looked over a map and the uncharted territory of the nautical map. He had a look of pure determination on his hairy face. Spitelout then put a hand on his brother's shoulder.

"Stoic, a fog approaches…"

Chief Stoic got up, he raised his gaze.

"I can almost smell them. They're close. Steadyâ€¦"

The helmsman steadied the boat slowly as they approached a dense fog bank as tall and far as the eye could see. It towered from the sky like a bruised, daunting curtain, beyond this point nothing was visible. The many ships from several different tribes had tried to enter this fog in the hopes of destroying the dragon menace, very few came out alive. The four ships drift alongside the fog, skirting its solid edge, looking for an opening. On the decks of every boat, the Viking crewmen looked nervous. All too aware of what Stoic was planning.

"Take us in."

The helmsman steered Stoic's ship into the fog. The men and women drew there various weapons, already they were sweating profusely. They prepared for the worst.

"Hard to port, for Helheim's Gate."

Spitelout muttered under his breath, he too was terrified of the dangers that a waited in the fog. The ships began to disappear into the whiteout, followed by the other three. Suddenly, a flash of light burst through the fog. The silhouettes of dragons hover above the water, the sounds of splitting and shattering wood plunge into the water, with another bright flash.

BERK

Hiccup continued onward through the brush of the forest outside of the village. He was almost to the Night Fury, the Prince could already hear the dragon's frustrated cries of anguish. The Night Fury had been trying to feel the joy of flight again all morning; the problem was obvious its tail was busted. Hiccup's heart sank the closer he got to the cove, despite his careless demeanor; he really did feel like this situation was his fault. He should have just left after he freed that Monstrous Nightmare, but no he had to be foolish and fight. Hiccup eventually made it back to the rocky crevice the Night Fury had unfortunately landed in. Once again the Prince made it to the isolated cove, he watched as the massive dark dragon attempted to fly. Hiccup's heart sank lower, he took away the thing that meant most to a dragon, the freedom of flight. Hiccup watched as the Night Fury struggled to get out of the cove. The Night Fury landed on one of the cove walls and made a poor attempt to climb it. But no matter how violently the Night Fury flapped it's violent wings, the mighty dragon still could not fly. The Dragon peeled away and landed roughly on ground, the mighty Night Fury was trapped. Fate truly is Artistic. The Prince looked on in misery, tears formed in his eyes, this was his fault. Hiccup then got out a leather bold book, remembering that he could fix this. That he would fix this. The Prince quickly sketched the dragon, making sure to record the image so that he could devise of a way to help the dragon. Hiccup glanced at his drawing, everything perfect except the tail. Quickly, Hiccup erased part of the tail. The Night Fury glanced upwards at Hiccup, now noticing him for the first time. Hiccup looked downwards; the Night Fury didn't give a cold look, but more of a peaceful, but frustrated look. Slowly the Prince began to make his way down to cove-side.

 _"Hey, Night Fury."_

Hiccup said miserably in Dragonese as he got down from the mountainside. The Night Fury approached him; he sniffed the basket of fish on Hiccup's back. The Prince let go of the basket, after he removed his Prince attire from it of course and he allowed the dragon to feast. Neither of them spoke. Hiccup sat by the cove shore line and began to toss small stone into the shallow water. The Night Fury quickly finished, the dragon then glanced over at Hiccup, perplexed.

 _"Human, what is the matter?"_

Hiccup put on a false smile.

 _"Nothing is the matter."_

Hiccup said with a cracking voice, trying to force back tears. The Night Fury responded.

 _"You blame yourself don't you?_

The Prince began to tear up.

 _"I do, none of this would be happening if it wasn't for me. We would be back at the cave, hibernating. Now because of me you might never fly again."_

Hiccup said as he wiped some of the tears out of his eyes. The Night Fury then said.

" _Where you the one who plunked me from the sky and destroyed my tail?"_

" _No, but-_

 _"It's not your fault, get that through your soft head."_

The Prince smiled, remembering the conversation from earlier. Hiccup glanced over at the Night Fury, it bore its trademark toothless grin.

 _"Thanks Night Fury"_

 _"Anytime Human, we are kin after all."_

 _"We are."_

Hiccup said with a smile, he then starred at the Night Fury's toothless smile.

 _"Ya know, Humans like to give each other names so I hear…"_

 _"Go on."_

The Prince chuckled a bit as he tossed a rock into the cove.

 _"Oh it's nothing, just a silly idea happening in my head."_

Hiccup said trying to down play where he was going. But the Night Fury's curiosity had been reached.

 _"What did you have in mind?"_

The Night Fury asked. Hiccup then responded.

 _"Well, I was thinking, if I could give you a name, I would call you Toothless."_

The Night Fury gave a perplexed look.

 _"Toothless? Why Toothless, I have teeth."_

The Night Fury then retracted his teeth a couple of times. Hiccup grinned devilishly.

 _"Can you smile with your teeth?"_

The Night Fury then attempted to smile with its rows of sharp teeth, they retracted just before the Night Fury could crack a smile. Hiccup laughed.

 _"Ya see that? You're Toothless."_

 _"Fine Toothless it is…"_

Toothless said admitting defeat, truth be told he actually kind of liked that name, but he didn't want Hiccup to know. With a devilish sneer the Night Fury then said.

 _"Now I get to name you."_

Hiccup rolled his eyes, but grinned sarcastically.

 _"Oh, this ought to be good."_

The Night Fury scanned his large reptilian eyes over Hiccup, examining the boy's traits.

 _"Well you're skinny, so how about Skinny, that's a good name."_

 _"What? No?!"_

Hiccup protested, he had some muscle underneath his tunic and clothes. Besides Hiccup was arguably more svelte than skinny. The Night Fury began to List off names that came to him with ease.

" _How 'bout Harry, humans have hair."_

 _"No."_

 _"Fishbreathe?"_

 _"No."_

 _"Soft-sword."_

 _"That's disgusting!"_

Hiccup and the Night Fury sat there for a majority of the afternoon, just listing off names for the Prince. But Hiccup felt like he already had a name the Prince, that was his name. He only got that name nonsense in his mind because Astrid had, such a beautiful name…wait…No. It's because she wouldn't give Hiccup the courtesy of telling him her name to begin with that's all.

The Bottom of the Ocean

Meanwhile, just off the coast of Berk, at the bottom of the Ocean, something monstrous lie. Something impossible, a real Sea Dragon, one such Old Wrinkly had been describing, lay sleeping on the seabed. This Dragon was indescribably huge, even bigger than the Red Death herself. This dragon had been there, sleeping for so long, it almost seemed to be part of the ocean floor now. A great green mountain, covered in shells, barnacles, some of his limbs half buried in the ocean sand and rock. Generation after generation of little hermit crabs had been born and die, just in this dragon's ears. This Dragon had slept for Hundreds of years, because he had rather a large meal. The Sea Dragon had the uncanny luck of catching a Roman Legion camping on a clifftop, they were completely cut off and the dragon had spent an enjoyable afternoon scarfing down the whole lot of them. From commanding general to lowest private, Horses Chariots, Shield and Spears, the entire lot went down the ravenous reptilian . While things such as things such as Gold Chariot wheels are a good source of fiber for a dragons diet, they do take a while to digest. The sea-dragon then crawled into the depths of the ocean and gone into one of the infamous dragon sleep-coma's. Dragons can stay in this state of hibernation for decades, some even hundreds of years like the large Sea Dragon before you. Half-Dead, Half-Alive, buried under fathoms of icy cold sea-water. Not a single muscle of this dragon had moved for three or four centuries. But the previous week, a Killer Whale had chased some seals expectantly deep was surprised to notice a slight movement in the upper eye lid of the dragons right eye. An ancestral memory stirred in the mammal's brain and he swam away from as fast as his fins could carry him. A week later, the sea surrounding the dragon mountain which had at one point been teaming with life, was a great underwater desert. The only signs of life for miles and miles was the rapid jerking of both the dragon's eyelids, fluttering up and down as if the dragon had just now gone into a lighter sleep.

 **The Dark Brigade Marches, first they run, then they laugh, before they stop in the Valley of Saints.**

 **They defile the land cry that both above and below that the Gods are dead.**

 **But then the Legion comes to meet the Brigade. First, they clash, then they fight. The Legion Sings.**

 **The Dark Brigade is dragged above not to heaven, but the land of Nightmares.**

 **Now the Dark Brigade Marches on, first as men, then as revenants and finally as the First Dead.**

 **-Translation from Rennoish Old Tongue,** _ **the March of the Dark Brigade**_ **, Scholar Riggs of Lumina**


	9. Chapter 9

**URGENT: If anyone knows where I can find a good editor for a personal project, I.E Not this Fanfiction. Please message me, post a review telling me where I can find one and have a good day.**

The Prince of Dragons

Chapter 9: An Ax to Grind

BERK

Hiccup began a depressing walk back to Berk; he hated to leave the Night Fury on his own. Especially when the dragon was so restricted, I mean flying was one of a dragon's main defenses, the reason it stayed alive. If someone found him, anyone, Toothless...oh Hiccup did not want to think about the consequences. It would be a fate worse then being eaten alive by the Red Death. The Prince tried to shake his paranoia off, Toothless was a Night Fury he could handle himself. But that feeling of doubt still hung in the back of Hiccup's mind. Hiccup then nearly slapped himself, he had forgotten, he had to cook nine young dragons before tomorrow. Again the Prince sighed; life was becoming ever more complicated. He was beginning to miss the long months of nothingness during the dragon's hibernation back in the lair.

After carefully putting away his Prince Attire back into the fox hole. Hiccup made his way back to Old Wrinkly's. The boy found eight baskets outside his home. Hiccup sighed, he needed a plan. At that moment, a tall Viking happened to be carrying a torn bag filled with fish. A few managed to slip out without him noticing, each one of various sizes. That's when a fiendishly clever thought crossed Hiccup's mind. The Prince went back to the docks and loaded up a barrel of fish. Then he made his way back to Old Wrinkly's hut, he then looked at the dragons, still squirming in there barrels. When he was sure nobody was watching, Hiccup released the dragons, by simply forcing the barrels open. Dragons of this size where mere vermin to Vikings, sometimes they were even mistaking for birds so Hiccup thought no one would care to harm one. The Prince thought correctly as the dragons began to fly into the distance, snarling and cackling as they began to fly their way back to the Caliban Caves. Hiccup smiled for a moment, at least they were able to fly free of this place.

After that was done the Hiccup began to prepare the fish, but he prepared them in such a way that you could hardly tell the difference between the fish and a baby dragon. Lastly Hiccup prepared the 'Whispering Death', or in this case something much more repulsive, an eel. Eel's always horrified Hiccup; he had lived off of dragon wise-tales about eels. The elder dragons in Hiccup's pack said if you ate one you wouldn't be able to control your fire and you'd die horrifically as your insides melt. Apparently humans had a toleration for eels, but that still did not reassure Hiccup of anything. Hiccup felt dirty every time he touched the long slimy snake-like fish. But after much preparation, Hiccup had done it; he had prepared the initiation meal.

THE GREAT HALL

The next day, the Prince walked toward the Great Hall with two large basket's hanging from his back. Hiccup was a little nervous truth be told as he carefully walked into the Great Hall, with a few well cooked 'dragon' meals on his back. Hiccup would be so in deep trouble if they found out. He found the young Vikings loitering around the Great Hall, just trying to pass the time.

"Okay...whose hungry..."

The young Vikings shot up into action, they were looking forward to a meal that wasn't limpets. Very carefully Hiccup placed the food onto a few tables and watched as the young Hooligans made their way over to him, eager for their next meal. Hiccup put on a nervous smile as he sat down himself, he examined his meal. A blood eel, to Hiccup the thing looked more poisonous than a Whispering Death. To make matters worse, Snotlout and his gang of thugs decided to sit next to him. While the Prince figured out a long time ago that their bark was worse than there bite, he knew they weren't gonna make this easy for him.

"You eat first new guy, I hope it doesn't kill ya, unless you're a coward"

Hiccup chuckled.

"You're calling the guy who kicked you're arse a coward?"

"I saw the way you were eyeing that Whispering Death, you're afraid to eat it."

A nervous laugh escaped Hiccup.

"What? I am not"

Doubt escaped Hiccup's breath, Dogsbreath joined in.

"Then eat it."

Speedyfist and Wartihog where next to join in.

"Yeah eat it"

Ruffnut and Tuffnut joined in, they were collectively banging their fists against a nearby table.

"Eat it! Eat it! Eat it!"

They chanted. The Prince glanced over at Fishlegs who had grown pale in the face, almost as if he didn't expect him to survive. Astrid honestly didn't seem to care; nobody noticed that she had already dived into her 'Deadly Nadder'. Hiccup took a deep breathe in and grabbed his knife. He chopped off the tail end and began to eat. For

a moment, everyone was silent. They expected him to honestly die on the spot. They all assumed that's what happened when you ate a Whispering Death. Then something unexpected happened. Hiccup took another bit, and another, in less than a minute he had completely devoured the 'Whispering Death'. Hiccup was shocked, he just ate an eel and he really, really enjoyed it. He then burped a hefty Viking burp, with a smile he said.

"That was good"

The other young Hooligans looked absolutely terrified and somewhat disgusted. Hiccup then stood up.

"Well I'm off to work."

Tuffnut looked up at Hiccup.

"Work?"

"I'm Gobber's blacksmithing apprentice, why do you think I'm here?"

Hiccup replied with a sneer and a grin.

Hiccup strolled out of the Great Hall and made his way to Gobber the Belch's blacksmith shop. It was about midday so Gobber was at lunch. This gave Hiccup ample time to look around and get a few for the place. There was a fire-pit in the far corner with a pump. In the front there was a large shop window, spread all across the room there were all kinds of metal works of wonder that made Hiccup's eyes light up. The Prince entered the shop and immediately smiled; Blacksmithing comforted the boy for some reason. It made him feel like he had control, that he could do anything. Build anything. The boy then found a room in the back far away from everything for him to start some designs for the Night Fury's tail. He got out a sketch book with some sketches he had drawn of the dragon and eventually stopped a drawing of himself in his Prince armor. Only without the mask and some of the finer details such as the retractable wings. He wanted to be feared again badly. It was then Gobber arrived, he entered the back room.

"Boyo!"

Hiccup jumped in a blind panic, he forgot all about Gobber the Belch.

"Gobber, hello, how are you?"

"Boy what were ya doing back here?"

Gobber asked suspiciously. Hiccup picked up his sketch book and flipped to a random page of some armor he once designed. The Prince shrugged his shoulders and said.

"Just doodling"

Gobber nodded, he then tossed Hiccup an apron.

"Put that on, unless ya wanta get burned."

The blacksmith then tossed Hiccup a pair of gloves.

"That's incase ya lose a finger."

Hiccup put the gloves on and didn't question the blacksmith. With his slack-jawed smile the Blacksmith said.

"Well, let's dive right in"

Gobber then started to work, Hiccup stood there rather confused by the whole thing.

"Um, what, shouldn't you teach more or give me an introduction or something?"

"Blacksmithing is like swimming, ya don't take your time, ya just dive right in!"

Gobber then pointed to a pump that would add warmth to the fire and then to the fire pit. Hiccup walked over and began to pump; the fire began to smolder. Gobber then came by with a small bucket of water; he dumped the water into the pit. The Blacksmith with his free hand pulled out a sword that he had burning from the pit. He then walked over to an anvil and put the sword down on it. Gobber then used his hammer hand prophetic to pound the sword into a flat blade surface.

"Well? Ya gonna turn this thing or not?"

Gobber asked annoyed as he continued to pound away. Hiccup rolled his eyes before walking over and turning the sword by its hilt from one side to another. The metal pounding rang in Hiccup's ears as Gobber then asked.

"So where ya from boy?"

Hiccup hesitated for a moment. He looked over at a nearby map Gobber happened to have on the wall that showed most of the barbaric world.

"Um…Finland, I kinda drifted here after a big fight with a local tribe."

"Oh…what tribe?"

Again Hiccup hesitated and simply named the first tribe that popped into his head.

"Lava-Louts."

Gobber nodded again there was silence, Hiccup was grateful that for a moment he didn't have to come up with some horrible excuse.

"Got any family?"

Hiccup wanted to scream, how many questions did this guy have? Couldn't they have just worked? But at least this was a question Hiccup didn't have to lie about entirely.

"Over a thousand brothers and sisters one mother."

Gobber chuckled light-heartedly as he stopped his pounding on the sword.

"That's a big family; she must have a hard time keeping track of all of them"

Hiccup didn't seem to think much of it, he put down the sword.

"Not really, in fact I'm the only adopted one of my kind, she doesn't even know I exist, but if she did she'd probably be like, 'Excuse me, I'm afraid you have brought me the wrong offspring, I ordered an extra-large killing machine with beefy limbs and skin-like armor on the side, this here is a talking fish-bone! I guess I'll just have to eat him alive!"

The Prince said referencing his 'mother' the Red Death. Hiccup had grown to spite her over the years. Gobber chuckled.

"Ya know, ya shouldn't say anything like that to your mother."

"If you're mother ate your brothers and sisters I guess you'd be just as cheerful as you are right now"

Gobber continued to laugh, until he saw the bitter resentment in Hiccup's eyes, the boy was serious.

"Oh, well that's a little uncomfortable…"

"Speaking of uncomfortable, I'd like a new conversation please."

Hiccup said annoyed, Gobber nodded.

"Alright, how's it going with the ladies?"

The Prince sighed.

"Yeah, way to get the mood back on track"

"Ah C'mon, you've never had a crush?"

Hiccup thought about for a moment.

"Well"

The Prince thought back to a time when he kinda had a crush on a human, Viking girl. She was a lovely little thing that greeted him in the most profound and glorious way imaginable.

ISLE OF THE BOG BURGULARS

2 YEARS AGO

The Prince of Dragons watched vigorously as they stole dozens of fish from a nearby fish hut. The dragons had effectively burned down the Bog Burglar village in the crossfire. The Prince smiled under his mask as he gazed upon the flames. Then out of nowhere a girl with two stretcher point swords and wild blonde hair leaped out of the flames and began to attack the Prince. Hiccup was caught off guard by the Bog Burglar. Hiccup got out his flaming sword and they began to parry blows. The flames danced around the two as they fought, eager to kill one another. The girl was able to actually cut through Hiccup's armorat one point and get a clean cut to his right arm. The Prince pushed her away and smiled under his mask.

"You've got moxxiI love it"

"Die you sniveling, dragon rider!"

"Oh...sass to, I really love it."

_The Hyperactive tiny girl only pressed on harder, seemingly unfazed by Hiccup's comment. Hiccup was actually able to parry the girl's swords out of her hands and toss them into some nearby flames. But then she started to punch him. She actually did get a few good swings on Hiccup. She then shouted. _

"Take THAT, you locust-baking, half-troll, dragon worshiper!"

Hiccup pinned her down against a wall, finally after taking a lot of abuse. He got a good look at her features. The first thing he noticed was that she was only four feet tall. Her bright green eyes and her blonde hair that she wore like a pine tree. Her clothes were filthy and very plain in a lot of regards and she talked constantly. _

"_Unhand me you, you snot-munching ankle bitter before I really get serious."

Hiccup laughed at the overconfident little girl.

"_Really? You're going to get serious, I'd like to see that."

_She then head-butted Hiccup and knocked him over in the blink of an eye. The girl stood over top of him, a small knife in hand, she brought it to Hiccup's neck. _

 _"Huh…I guess you succeeded so miss-_

 _"Camicazi."_

 _"Camicazi, you might want to duck"_

Camicazi couldn't duck in time as the Night Fury came swooping in. The Night Fury fired a plasma blast, Camicazi dodged it before retreating, much to her dismay. Hiccup rushed over to the Night Fury and climbed onto its back. The dragon then took off, into the night to rejoin the larger pack. For a majority of the flight, Hiccup kept sighing dreamily with a goofy grin on his face.

 _"What is it human?"_

 _"I think I might be in love"_

BERK

PRESENT DAY

After taking a minute to think about it, Hiccup shock his head dismissively.

"Only once…and she was crazy"

Gobber chuckled again.

"All women are lad, come to think of it, they probably say the same thing about you and me…"

The Blacksmith stopped chuckling.

"But seriously, no one strikes your fancy now?"

Hiccup took a moment to think it over.

"Well…there is this one girl"

As luck would have it that very girl stood in the blacksmith's shop door. An ax in hand, the two blacksmiths turned.

"Hey."

It was Astrid Hofferson of all people. Hiccup nearly cursed under his breath as he hoped she didn't hear the conversation at hand. Astrid walked in very bored and nonchalantly she asked.

"Can I get this sharpened?"

Hiccup paused for a moment, he was thankful she was talking to Gobber. But Gobber only smiled a bit. The Blacksmith had put two and two together. Gobber the Belch smiled, he pushed Hiccup forward.

"Why yes. My manly apprentice here will service all of your needs."

Hiccup glared back at Gobber with an expression that read 'what are you doing'. Gobber then put his hand on a barrel and picked up some nails. He then tried to come up with a clever excuse but failed spectacularly.

"I have to…err…oh, go get-"

Gobber stammered on like this for nearly a minute, with Astrid and Hiccup starring at him both slightly confused and concerned for the blacksmith. In fact, he nearly tipped over the barrel as Hiccup and Astrid both gave him confused looks.

"Some... I'm just gonna go."

With that Gobber left the shop, with all the grace of a dying whale. Leaving Astrid and Hiccup alone, in the shop, together, alone (Get your mind out of the gutter). The Prince smiled as he motioned to the leaving Blacksmith.

"My boss"

Astrid then examined her ax, Hiccup let out his hands to go pick it up. But Astrid held it away from his hands. She then handed it to him properly. Hiccup smiled at her, she at least respected her weapon of choice.

"Okay…razor sharp Battle Ax. Coming right up"

"Careful, that's my mother's"

Astrid replied casually. Hiccup then carried the ax over to a sharpeners wheel. He began to sharpen the ax over the wheel.

"So how was your fi-er, I mean Nadder….Deadly Nadder"

Astrid looked at some of the swords hanging off the walls.

"A little over cooked, you must have burned it a bit"

The Hofferson girl said jokingly. Hiccup made a fake laugh and in a mocking tone he said.

"(Ha Ha) In other words, 'I'm doing it wrong'."

Took a sword off the rack and looked at her reflection. She smirked and then sneered.

"You're words, not mine."

Astrid said as she reached for a spear on a higher rack. Hiccup continued to sharpen the ax, Astrid then asked.

"Why are you working here exactly?"

"What as an apprentice, it's sort of an on the side. I'm mostly here because of a friend and to learn, become one with the steel."

Hiccup then cut the ax a little too much; he managed to chip off part of the ax blade. He gasped faintly, thankfully Astrid didn't notice. Astrid then went into the backroom, mostly out of curiosity.

"I wouldn't go in there"

Hiccup said as he tried to find a replacement ax-head. Thankfully, Astrid didn't oblige to what Hiccup had to say as she walked into the backroom. She looked at Hiccup's journal sitting on the table. The girl then picked it up and began to flip through the pages. Astrid couldn't read any of it, because it was entirely written in Dragonese. But there were a lot of interesting drawings.

"This yours?"

Hiccup glanced over to see just what Astrid was referring. His Dragonese book, the Prince swallowed hard, as he retrieved an Ax head and rushed back to his workstation. Hiccup then placed the Ax head on a wedge and tightened it.

"What's it written in?"

"Umm…err…Finnic. I'm from Finland."

Hiccup said hurriedly, as he screwed on the ax handle. Hopefully Astrid wouldn't be able to tell the difference between ax heads.

"Ohhh...Personally, I think everything should be written in Norse, would make things much easier. Call me old fashion, but I'm more of a get an ax and lop its head off kinda girl, it's kinda the Viking way"

The Prince rolled his eyes as he finished tightening the handle. Typical Viking, not thinking about anything other than there weapon.

"Go Vikings…"

Astrid then closed the book and walked out of the room.

"Gods, I can't wait to get started tomorrow, that's when we really get into it."

Hiccup was confused by all this, as he went back to sharpening the girl's ax in an attempt to regain his focus.

"Yeah…I'm so excited…for you?"

Astrid walked up to Hiccup as he continued to sharpen her ax, not with the best car, e in all actuality.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothingit's just Ium, can't wait to start killing dragonsya know"

The Prince said with a nervous grin on his face, Astrid smiled back and punched him in arm. Hiccup winced slightly.

"More like you're decided whether or not to have a side of yak jerky or lamb"

"What do ya mean?"

"We start real training in the morning we'll be fighting dragons."

Astrid said with clear excitement. Hiccup nearly broke the ax blade again. In fact he nearly went pale, more so when he handed Astrid her ax. She gave a few good swings and messed around with it for a minute.

"This feels different"

"Oh…I tightened it, re-balanced it; we're a full-service shop."

Astrid smiled again; she brushed back her blonde hair and said.

"Hmmm, thanks."

"Sure…"

The two then went their separate ways. Hiccup needed a moment to breathe, he would need more then whit's to get himself out of this mess tomorrow. With a sigh he went to the backroom and retrieved his journal before exiting the shop.

 **URGENT: If anyone knows where I can find a good editor for a personal project, I.E Not this Fanfiction. Please message me, post a review telling me where I can find one and have a good day.**


	10. Chapter 10

The Prince of Dragons

Chapter 10: Lesson 2: Learning on the Job

BERK, CHIEF'S HUT

Valka was cleaning the chief's hut, and all though she was trained for combat, and could even best much of the village in a sword fight. Her job was to mostly maintain the house. She hated it, it just wasn't what she wanted in life. Not that she was particularly awful at looking after a house. It's just that it was tiresome and repetitive. Often she dreamed of going to isle of the Bog Burglars that place sounded exciting from a woman's perspective.

When she was a child she often wished of just being able to grow wings like a dragon and fly away. Truth be told, Valka had a soft-spot for the winged beasts, they may have been dragons, but they were like anything else in her mind, they could be tamed. Nobody just knew how to train a dragon. When she was maybe twenty years younger,Valka often dreamed of being alone on an island left to her own devices. The island could have had dragons for all she cared, Valka still would have been happy. But then she met the love of her life, Stoic who was a bit embarrassing in his attempts to 'woe' her, especially when he accidentally lit twenty flowers and gave them to her.

It came off as odd to Valka all those years ago, especially considering Valka wasn't particularly Viking like. There were several women who would have been more qualified. But Stoic choose her, out of love of all things and in the end his attempts worked. Stoic had won her over. They were happily married for three years then Hiccup was born. Valka sighed; she always got into a slight state of depression when just the thought of Hiccup crossed her mind. She tried to take her mind off of Hiccup by cleaning the back room. The Haddock residence happened to have a small room in the back where Stoic kept many of his tokens from war, Valka' s old boots, dragon's fangs, old jugs of milk, nik naks, and family portraits. Valka was cleaning the back when she came across an old family portrait. She looked at one portrait in particular, again to fell into a slight depression .

"Oh…Hiccup." She murmured miserably.

Valka pulled the painting out behind a few old shields and other portrait's. This portrait was very similar to the one Old Wrinkly had in his hut. Only this shield portrait was a bit dustier. With a quick breathe she blew off some of the dust. She got a better look at it, in the portrait she was holding her child in her arms, fragile as can be. Even though there time together was short, it was some of the best time in Valka 's life. Then something odd popped into her head, that boy, that drifter from earlier today.

 _"Well I best be off, I got someplace to be."_

There was something familiar about him, something distinctly familiar. She brushed it off as her just missing her son. Valka went onto clean the backroom, with that unknown boy still scratching at the back of her mind.

* * *

THE ARENA

Hiccup got up in the early hours of the morning yet again for another day of training. After yesterday's fiasco. Hiccup just wanted to lay low for a little while, he didn't want to cause any waves. He needed to focus on Toothless, and finally get started on the dragon's new tail. Hiccup carried a knapsack with a few meal worms that Old Wrinkly had cooked up for them. Hiccup was still on Limpet Rations and the old man had told him meal worms were a bit more tolerable. He also carried a flash-point sword at his side, only it wasn't all that decorated, and the blade needed to be sharpened, but then again Hiccup had found it at very short notice. You see Gobber was cleaning a few swords in the back and when the Blacksmith wasn't looking. Hiccup swiped one from behind his back.

Anyway, the Prince arrived at where Gobber had told him, most of his 'training' would take place, if you can even call Dragon Killing training. Oddly enough Astrid was already there, fiddling with her ax. She seemed slightly happy to see Hiccup, but the Prince tried not to notice. A few minutes later, everyone else arrived. Gobber oddly enough was the latest to arrive, but seemingly the most enthusiastic about this whole thing.

"Now, today is when we began you're real training, you will kill dragons like the Sons and Daughters of Thor, since anyone can

remember and this is where the magic begins. " Gobber raises a massive iron gate at the entrance of a vast stone area.

"Welcome to Dragon Training!"

Hiccup was actually awestruck for once in his life, by accomplishments made by humans. He was a bit intimidated to step forward and enter the stadium. It was your typical steel caged Viking arena, the steel cage was so no dragons could escape. The Stadium itself was a large circle that was were the young recruits would be practicing. There was what appeared to be cages in the back that housed Odin knows what horrifying dragons. The walls were covered in scorched silhouettes of blasted Vikings. It was a grim but all inspiring place, like a battlefield. The Prince and Astrid stepped forward as the rest of the recruits piled in. Astrid, while she was proud and excited, did look a whee bit nervous as she said to herself. "No turning back. "

The terrible twins looked around gleefully.

"I hope I get some serious burns." Tuffnut said with a sadistic grin.

"I'm hoping for some mauling, like on my shoulder or lower back." Ruffnut slyly replied.

Wartihog replied. "I wanta get my arm blasted off, get a hook, I've always wanted a hook. "

Speedyfist looked a bit squeamish as he asked. "What's with you lot, always wanting to always lose a limb, I would die on the spot if I lost an arm."

Dogsbreath the Duhbrain and Snotlout stepped forward. Snotlout then responded .

"Battle scars, they show just how much of a Viking you are."

Astrid looked back, seemingly wanting a horrible gaping wound.

"Yeah, it's only fun if you get a scar out of it… "

The Hofferson girl then looked to the Prince, who seemed to be just trying to not listen to this conversation. He seemed on edge, put off by this conversation. Hiccup had enough scars in battle to know that getting a cut here or a shattered arm wasn't honorable. Astrid was about to put an arm on Hiccup, when he turned around and simultaneously grabbed Astrid' s petite Viking hand.

"Yeah, no kidding right? Pain. " He smiled with a sadistic grin, as he let go of Astrid' s hand. "Love it…"

Astrid rubbed her hand and narrowed her eyes at Hiccup. She then balled her fists, before taking a deep breath. Gobber stood in front of the recruits and announced in his thunderous voice.

"Let's get started! The recruit who does best will win the honor of

killing his first dragon in front of the entire village..."

Snotlout snickered, seeing an opportunity to be well, Snotlout.

"Seeing how the useless, woke up the dragons the other day does that disqualify him or?"

Snotface Snotlout 's gang laughed and cheered a bit, Ruffnut and Tuffnut joined in just for the fun of it. Dogsbreath raised his hand and asked.

"Can I transfer to the class with the cool Vikings?"

Hiccup only smiled as he unsheathed his flashpoint sword and examined the blade. He seemed to be debating whether or not to humiliate Snotlout by slicing his belt off of his trousers. But before he could decide, Gobber threw a supportive arm around Hiccup and ushers him along. With cheery confidence he said.

"Don't worry, you're small and weak looking, no offensive. That'll make you less of a target. They'll see you as sick or insane and go after the more Viking-like teens instead."

The Prince rolled his eyes, he just wasn't sure if it was because Gobber called him small and weak looking. Or if he referred to the dragons in the 3rd person, Gobber then stuck the Hooligan Recruits in line with the others right next to Astrid and Fishlegs. He then continued toward eight massive reinforced doors. Terrible roars and bellows issue from within.

"Behind these doors are just a few of the many species you will learn to fight . "

Hiccup glanced over to Fishlegs, he had never seen him this happy before, the other day he was hunched over like a sea-slug caught in a fish trap but now he was happier than a mollusk. Fishlegs bounced and laughed with excitement, barely able to contain himself. Gobber motioned to the first door.

"The Deadly Nadder."

Under his breathe Fishlegs muttered. "Speed Eight. Armor Sixteen."

Fishlegs did this every time Gobber motioned to another door with a dragon sealed behind it. It was like watching two tradesmen announcing a product together.

"The Hideous Zippleback."

"Plus Eleven Stealth. Times two."

"The Electrifying Skrill."

"Attack Twenty. Armor Seven."

"The Raptor Tongue Stealth Dragon."

"Plus Twenty Stealth. Attack Ten."

"The Monstrous Nightmare."

"Firepower Fifteen."

"The Terrible Terror."

"Attack Eight. Venom Twelve."

"CAN YOU STOP THAT!?" Gobber yelled annoyed with what Eishlegs was doing, immediately Fishlegs became silent.

He then motioned to the last door.

"And… the Gronckle."

Eishlegs couldn't resist the urge so he quietly said to himself.

"Jaw Strength, Eight."

Gobber then pulled a nearby lever, raising the cross beam on the last of the doors. The recruits including Hiccup turned pale. Hiccup would have been happy to see another dragon, but this was a dragon caged, and locked away. Imagine being locked away, starved, no room to move, let alone fly and then you're let out back into the world. But still you were practically chained down to that cage, it was enough to get anyone angry, especially a dragon. A dragon would turned into nothing more than pure concentrated aggression. But maybe, just maybe he could reason with it. Speedyfist raised his voice expressing the general concern.

"What are you doing?"

"Setting the Gronckle free…" Gobber murmured as he loosened more locks.

Snotlout continued the general concern.

"Whoa, wait! Aren't you gonna teach us first?"

Gobber smiled his slack-jawed grin.

"I believe in learning on the job…"

With a few loud thuds at the door, the Gronckle thundered out of its prison. Charging into the ring like a raging bull. Reasoning with this irate dragon was the last thing on Hiccup's mind. He and the rest of the recruits scrambled away in every direction. Except for Ruffnut and Tuffnut who rush toward it, like pumped up lunatics, Gobber watched from the sidelines of the arena. Gobber the Belch seemed uncharacteristically calm about this whole situation. He went on with his 'Lesson'.

"Today is about survival. If you get blasted you're dead. Quick, what's the first thing you're going to need?" Gobber asked, there seemed to be hint of gleeful malice in his voice.

Wartihog with a panicked look on his face said.

"A Doctor?"

Fishlegs stood petrified for a second as he muttered out.

"Plus five speed?"

Astrid finally came to the right answer.

"A shield."

Gobber smiled from the sidelines.

"Shields. Go."

The recruits then scrambled for shields, finding them scattered on racks around the ring. Gobber went on as the dragon hovered diligently over the recruits. Hiccup looked upwards; the Gronckle was studying them, picking them off one by one. The only question was who was going to be picked off first.

"Now, you're most important piece of equipment is your shield. If you must make a choice between a sword or a shield, take the shield. "

The Prince chuckled a bit, shield's where a coward's way out of a fight as far as he was concerned. But nonetheless he got one... just to be safe. Wartihog struggled to lift his shield, Gobber helped him and sent him running off to join Snotlout 's gang who were starring the Gronckle down. Everyone pretty much had a shield already, excluding the terrible twins. The twins, Ruffnut and Tuffnut stood amidst with a few dozen shields. But only a skull painted one stood out to the two of them. They both grab it. Tuffnut pulled on his end.

"Get your hands off my shield!"

Ruffnut gestured to the scattered shields littered about.

"There are like a million shields!"

"Take that one; it has a flower on it. Girls like flowers."

After hearing Tuffnut's comment, Ruffnut uses the shield to BASH, her brother violently in the face. But Tuffnut doesn't let go.

"Oooops, now this one has blood on it."Ruffnut said annoyed, more than anything else.

The Gronckle still hovering over the arena, eyes Ruffnut and Tuffnut, and takes aim at the distracted twins. Lava charged in the dragon's mouth, it fired away. The lava hit the shield and is blasted out of both the twins' hands. Tuff and Ruff spun around like tops before falling down disoriented. Gobber sighed; he didn't have much hope for the twins.

"Tuffnut, Ruffnut, you're out!"

They both got up covered in a little bit of ash. With a confused

dazed look on both of their faces, Tuffnut asked.

"What?!"

Ruffnut followed.

"What?!"

The Gronckle scooped up a pile of nearby rocks and swallowed them. Rocks were part of a Gronckle ' s diet and the poor dragon hardly got any while it was in it's confinement. The teens gather on the far side of the ring. They stared down the large reptilian beast as it flew menacingly over them. Gobber then from a safe distance instructed his students.

"Those shields are good for another thing. Noises. Make lots of it to throw off a dragon's aim."

With their various weapons, the recruits began to pound on their weapons. From the dragons perspective the Vikings became blurry targets. The noise began to make the dragon almost sickly. Everyone was doing this, except for Hiccup. Hiccup would have been an easy target for the dragon but the noise caused such a confusion in the dragons eyes that it could hardly focus at all. The remaining seven Vikings began to circle the dragon, the noise starting to take its toll on the beast.

"All dragons have a limited number of shots. How many does a Gronckle have? "

Snotlout thought about the answer for a moment and came to a quick response.

"Five?"

Fishlegs corrected him.

"No, six."

As Fishlegs celebrated for a moment, he failed to notice the Gronckle target him, its yellow eyes narrowed. Gobber then yelled from afar.

"Correct that's one for almost all of you!"

As Fishlegs held up his shield for a moment, the Gronckle blasted out of his hands. Fishlegs then began to run away with his hands in the air, screaming like a girl. Hiccup didn't seem all that concerned after a while, he had gotten over the pure shock that he had to fight a dragon, and now just wanted this to end. Oddly enough, even though Hiccup was standing there without a care in the world, the Gronckle didn't even try to attack him. Hiccup had spent the majority of his life with dragons, the scent or presence of dragons probably came off him like it would any other dragon. A dragon would never attack another dragon, unless it absolutely has to, so Hiccup did not even register as a threat to the hovering Gronckle. Gobber the Belch, obviously not knowing, this spotted Hiccup and shouted.

"Boyo, get in there!"

Hiccup made a few weak sounding bangs with his shield. The dragon began to hover around looking for a new target. It eyed Snotlout and his gang; they were in an army like formation trying to make as much noise as possible. While the vision of the dragon blurred it fired off one shot. Snotlout jumped out of the way as the shot hit Wartihog, Speedyfist and Dogsbreath, knocking there shields to the ground.

"Wartihog, Speedyfist, Dogsbreath, you're all out." Gobber said with grin and a fire in his eyes.

The Gronckle then moved onto another target. It eyed Astrid menacingly. Snotlout, who had not been hit by the Gronckle ' s blasted felt like he had overcome a great threat. He felt invincible for a moment, and what do you do when you feel invincible for a moment? You try and hit on a beautiful girl. Astrid was on her heals, bouncing, ready to dodge a blast. Snotlout then appeared and tried to hit on the Hofferson Girl.

"So anyway, I'm moving into my parents' basement. You should come by

sometime to work out. You look like you work out-

Astrid cartwheeled out of the dragon's way as the Gronckle fired another molten blast. This allowed a shot to shoot past her and hit Snotlout 's shield. The Jorgenson is blasted onto his back. With that the Gronckle was down to its last two shots.

"Snotlout! You're done." Gobber said with a hint of happiness in his voice.

Astrid rolled beside Hiccup, who just stood there, not taking any of this seriously .

"Looks like it's just you and me, huh?"

"No…just you " Astrid replied and rolled away, not a split second later, a lava-slug from the Gronckle knocks Hiccup's shield clear off of his arms. He didn't even see it coming. Hiccup is exposed. Gobber then said with a loud booming voice.

"One shot left! "

Hiccup tried not to panic, he knew the worst thing to do in this situation is panic. The Prince sheathed his sword, trying to be calm and not slice and dice the nearest thing in two. So, The Prince stood there for a second, dragon's sensed movement, if he moved then the dragon would follow. Hiccup looked over at Astrid who had now began to swing her ax in defiance. The Gronckle only got more aggressive, as Astrid actually got a good swing on the beast with the top of her ax. While it did nothing to the heavily armored beast. Hiccup stood there terrified. Past experiences flashed before his eyes, of dragons being horrendously killed with such weapons. He remembered the time when he was eight years old and dozens of dragons died before him on Lava-lout Island. Without thinking. Hiccup knew he had to get the dragon's attention. So he chased after his shield trying desperately to reclaim it as it rolled across the ring. The sudden movement sent the Gronckle chasing after him, leaving Astrid in the clear. With a worried expression Gobber yelled.

"What are you doing!?"

The Gronckle drives straight toward Hiccup, pinning him against the wall. It opens its mouth and cocks its tail, ready to fire point

blank. In Dragonese Hiccup managed to say. _"Please don't, I'm on your side."_

The dragon seemed to die down a bit as it's aggression decreased. But just then Gobber the Belch lunged in front of the Gronckle and looks its mouth at the last second. Causing the Gronckle ' s head to jerk back and fire against the stone wall above Hiccup's head. The Gronckle and Gobber wrested for a moment as the Blacksmith forced it back into its pen.

"And that's six!"

Forcing it back into its prison and sealing it back in, Gobber annoying said to the beast.

"Go back to bed, ya overgrown sausage! You'll get your chance, don't you worry . " Gobber then turned back to the recruits who all looked terrified, some of them might have been scarred psychologically by this fight with the Gronckle. Not to be confused with the kind of scars you get in battle. The Blacksmith then raised one fat finger and said. "Remember a dragon will always…" Gobber the Belch turned toward Hiccup. "Always go in for the kill."

The blacksmith tried to hoist Hiccup to his feet, but the Prince took those words harshly. In his mind it was 'humans always, go in for the kill.' Hiccup without turning, walked out of the arena, not saying a word as Gobber tried to stop him. But he didn't listen. Hiccup wasn't about to be told that his family were a much of Nightmare killing machines .

 **Author's Note: Okay, I'm updating this to inform you that there may not be regular updates. I have a life and a book I am writing. I'm so close to finishing it. I don't know if I'll do anything with it. But its a book and it's mine. I always get burned out because I think to myself. I could be writing something with my characters, my creations, yet here I am writing for a fanfiction website. Is that really something to be proud off?**


	11. Chapter 11

The Prince of Dragons

Chapter 11: The Book of Dragons

BERK

" _Damn Vikings, bunch of dim-witted, pathetic excesses for warriors, blood crazed fiends. 'Dragons always go in for the kill', to think I was enjoying myself ere, no more. I need to focus on getting off this rock."_ Hiccup muttered in his native tongue as he painstakingly put on his princely armor.

He had run out of Gobber the Belch's lesson after the slide comment he had said about dragons. Also, he needed to just have some time to himself, humans where such petty little things. Only a few of them it seemed had anything of value to say and even then, they would probably turn around the next minute and say something incredibly stupid. Apart from Old Wrinkly, Hiccup had a pretty good idea of what humans were like. Or maybe, he always had.

"0f all the things I could have been born, a dragon, a fish, a forsaken sea-cucumber, but no I get born a human. It's down right insulting. " Hiccup cursed, turning his gaze up at the sky.

He was tempted to curse the Gods themselves. But thought against it. The Gods were cruel after all. Cruel enough to make him a Human. Hiccup was not one to tempt fate. So, Hiccup reassigned to simply put on his dragons' mask. Before quickly venturing through the forest. He unsheathed his decorated flame sword and began to just mindlessly swing away at any and all bushes and trees. Just to vent his anger. The Prince after much walking made it to the cove, again Toothless was trying fish and failing miserably. The Prince sat next to the Night Fury and began to toss stones into the cove waters, far away from the Night Fury of course. While eating the meal-worms old Wrinkly had prepared for him... they weren't half-bad. In all honesty. The Night Fury lifted its head and glanced over at Hiccup, before wandering over.

" _What ' s wrong?"_ Toothless asked in Dragonese.

Hiccup sighed as he reclined on the sandy shores of the cove.

 _"It ' s nothing."_ Hiccup muttered.

 _"Yet I'm having a hard time believing you."_ The Night Fury replied.

Hiccup groaned annoyed.

 _"Ugh. fine it's the humans, I'm just sick of hearing about how 'dragons are a menace to humans' and all that rubbish_." Hiccup stated very bluntly. Toothless got a good chuckle out of that.

 _"It ' s only a matter of perspective, humans are humans, they view us as monsters because we're different. Same goes for dragons."_ Toothless reasoned.

The Prince laid flat on the ground as he glared up at the sky.

 _"But their perspective is wrong; we only do what we can to survive, and they just happen to have all their food stored in a nice easy to take pile._ " Hiccup murmured with a chuckle.

 _"You can't change hearts and minds in a day human, it takes time, maybe someday humans and dragons will live peacefully but until then this is life."_ The Night Fury said doubtfully. Even the wizened Night Fury did not exactly like how humans and dragons constantly clashed. Whether it was because of all the unnecessary deaths or the constant fear in the air. It was impossible to say. Hiccup nodded in agreement.

 _"It ' s becoming difficult to keep playing it cool, it's a good thing these Vikings are dumb as dirt or else I ' d be dead. I just gotta suffer through it I suppose."_ The Prince muttered as he sat back up, the Night Fury then smiled a Toothless grin.

 _"That reminds me, I got the perfect name… Chucklehead . "_ Toothless said half-jokingly.

Hiccup stood up after a good laugh but not before patting the Night Fury on the back scales and saying.

 _"Keep trying. Bud."_ Hiccup replied.

The Prince then walked back to Berk, with a new outlook on this whole predicament. Meanwhile the Night Fury slummed by the lakeside and began to ponder more names for him.

BERK

Hiccup after dispatching his Prince attire and getting back into his Viking clothes made his way over to Berk. The Prince strolled over to Gobber the Belch's workshop; fortunately, or unfortunately depending on your perspective, Gobber was there, talking to Bucket and Mulch.

"So the door fell after a few hours after ya made it, what kind of wood did ya use?" Gobber asked.

Mulch shrugged his shoulders and replied. "Don't ask me it was Bucket who got the wood."

"Well Bucket, where did you get the wood?" Gobber asked again.

Bucket stratching his pocket thoughtfully, and then said. "Oh, I had for a while, years in fact, I just wanted to get rid of it, it was crawling with pests."

Gobber the Belch and Mulch both simultaneously slapped themselves. Apparently, they had used rotten wood crawling with Odin only knows what kind of disease-ridden pests. The Blacksmith then sighed and said.

"Go into the woods next time and chop down tree, they're everywhere." Gobber explained slowly.

The two Vikings nodded, and then walked off. Hiccup then arrived at the Blacksmiths hut. Gobber the Belch folded his arms and said very smugly.

"Well, well, if it isn't Mr. _'I'm too good for my employer's dragon lessons_ '. "

"Is that really necessary?" The Prince replied.

Gobber the Belch smiled and unfolded his arms to pat Hiccup on the back.

"Yes, also I just wanted to mess with ya." Gobber said, wrapping a friendly arm around Hiccup.

Hiccup brushed him off, before walking inside the smithy.

"Look I'm sorry it's just that-

"You're distracted." Gobber interrupted.

The Prince hesitated for a moment, it was anger towards Gobber was teaching him how to kill dragons. Than directed at the blacksmith himself. But not to raise any suspicions Hiccup nodded in agreement.

"Yes, I'm distracted, so I was thinking, maybe I could sit this one out and focus and making stuff in the shop, it's like I said, ya know not enough bread making Vikings or small home repair Vikings." Hiccup said, feigning ignorance. Better to be thought of as an idiot than to be a merciless killer.

Gobber the Belch's eyes narrowed, he then patted Hiccup on the shoulder a few times.

"Oh, know you're trying to get out of it, I see what's going." Gobber said knowingly.

The Prince swallowed hard, did he somehow figure out Hiccup's 'little' secret, the blacksmith then sputtered out.

"Ya-ya, ya do?" Hiccup stammered.

"It's painfully obvious… I see the way you look at Astrid." Gobber mused with a chuckle.

Hiccup gave a look of confusion for a moment, that was not what he was expecting to say the least. The Prince was absolutely flabbergasted. He shifted his gaze wearily, with a small red blush on his face.

"Okay sure, let's go with that." Hiccup replied.

"I knew it; I'm very keen on these things." Gobber boasted proudly.

The Prince rolled his eyes and folded his arms.

"We're completely different people with completely different agenda's, besides she's a Viking, I'm from… Thule, it just couldn't work out, ya know long distance relationships and all. Besides I could never settle down." Hiccup explained trying to defend himself. It was clear she was _'Lass with Sass'_. But he merely regarded this in the same way he regarded Camicazi, ill-timed crush. Give it a week or two, and a few beatings by said girl after he gave her flowers, and he'd be over her. The Blacksmith still chuckling, gave Hiccup a punch on the arm.

"Eh, I'm only busting you're chops boy, but don't run out on my lessons anymore or else I'll have to put you on lug-worm rations. " Gobber retorted, to which Hiccup gagged a few times.

The Prince then smiled again as Gobber motioned for him to come into the blacksmith's shop. Hiccup worked that afternoon with Gobber the Belch. All seemed well, everything seemed to be working in his favor and everything was alright. Gobber even taught him one of the best and fastest ways to fix a sword handle. But the Prince kept playing around with that idea of him and Astrid. He was more humoring himself for the meantime. Though whenever he tried to concentrate or think about something else, his thoughts would drift back to her. Usually wondering if she would look iron armor. How well she could handle a sword. What her hair looked like unbraided. Normal stuff. Warrior stuff. Though Hiccup found it hard to justify that last part in his head. All afternoon Hiccup played with that though, even after he went home to Old Wrinkly's to see Bucket and Mulch working on the old man's door yet again. Night was approaching and an ever-present storm was looming overhead. Though it seemed Thor was hesitant to have it rain. Hiccup walked inside the hut, after narrowly avoiding the two Vikings bickering about how to properly put a door together. Hiccup was back inside Old Wrinkly's hut. Old Wrinkly was sitting by the fire blowing smoke rings again.

"Hello boy, how are you?" Old Wrinkly greeted in his kindly fashion.

"I'm fine Old Wrinkly." Hiccup feigned as he sat by the table and took out his Dragonese book, he flipped to the back pages, where he had schematics for tail designs for Toothless. In practicality however, the Prince wasn't sure how many of them would work. The Prince went onto doddle in his Dragonese book for a while before Old Wrinkly peered over his shoulders.

"Ya like to draw a lot don't ya?" Old Wrinkly asked.

" Ya, I guess . " Hiccup said dismissively.

"I never had the talent for art; it takes a more creative person. If anything, I'm more rational then not." Old Wrinkly said with a smile, while he may have seen himself as more rational; others thought he was as nutty as Loki in a typhoon. The Old man then took out his long pipe.

"Now my daughter, she's an artist." Old Wrinkly explained.

"Oh, Valka, yeah I meet her the other day. She seems nice." Hiccup muttered glancing up in the Old man's general direction. Old Wrinkly gazed at Hiccups absent minded doodlings in his Dragonese Book. Curiosity over taking him, the elderly man asked.

"So, what are you working on boy? If you don't mind me asking."

The Prince shut the book immediately and then responded.

"Nothing, just a silly idea happening is all." Hiccup stammered, much to the surprise of Old Wrinkly.

"I see, you're a very private person aren't you?" Old Wrinkly inquired.

The Prince thought it over for a bit.

"I guess I've always been a little hostile towards people. " Hiccup said.

"Why?" Old Wrinkly asked as he leaned over in his seat. Hiccup thought it over for a moment. There were lots of reasons for him being upset. Being hated by his own human kind, never feeling truly excepted amongst the dragons even though he clearly was. Having your own family slaughtered in numerous ways right in front of you was another thing. Never meeting his parents was another reason. All that rage and wrath, just kind of weighed down on Hiccup. He would guise everything as the Prince but on the inside Hiccup was nothing more than a shy scared boy just trying desperately to seek everyone's approval. Hiccup put his Dragonese book into his vest pocket.

"I'd rather not talk about it, it's private." Hiccup muttered, not even attempting to make eye contact with Old Wrinkly. Old Wrinkly nodded for a moment and patted Hiccup on the back.

"Well you we'll talk about it when you're ready." Old Wrinkly said before dropping the subject completely.

Hiccup with a now miserable look on his face. He still refused to look at the old Viking. He got slowly and trudged towards the front of the house.

"I-I'm heading out…I need time to think…" Hiccup explained made his way outside. As he opened the door left Old Wrinkly's hut just as Bucket and Mulch were putting the finishing touches on Old Wrinkly's door. Mulch was visually measuring the placement of the door and Bucket was placing the big hunk of wood in the door frame.

"Gently, Gently, Gently, and perfect!" Mulch exclaimed as Bucket finished placing the door.

Bucket placed the door down and Mulch swiftly screwed in the hinges. After screwing in the door hinges, the two were done. They had completely Old Wrinkly's door. It was then the feeble looking old man made his way to the door and admired it for a moment.

"Very nice, good job boys." Old Wrinkly mused giving the two brutes a golf clap of curtesy.

"Do we get a reward now Mulch?!" Bucket asked with all the jubilation of a merry child.

Mulch sighed again, but then Old Wrinkly pointed a long bony finger upwards. Towards his roof.

"Urn... You still need to re-shingle my roof." Old Wrinkly said plainly.

Bucket and Mulch looked up to see the roof of Old Wrinkly's hut. A few shingle's fell off the rigidly old structure as the two Vikings gawked at it. A few aggressive looking birds cackling at the Vikings down below. The elderly man smiled.

"I'll go fetch the ladder." Old Wrinkly stated before wandering back inside his hut.

Bucket and Mulch where nearly balling their eyes out. When would this nightmare end? Around night time the Prince was still deep in thought not really paying attention to the world around him. He had circled the entire village twice and was approaching a third time. Hiccup began to think about all life had thrown at him and began to wonder if he was even worth all the trouble. But the Prince tried to take his mind off things and look on the bright side of things.

"At least it can't get any worse." Hiccup stated.

With a flash of lightning and a strike of thunder, it began to pour gallons of rain. The Prince looked upwards at the heavens.

"Really?" Hiccup was really considering cursing Thor right there and then. But then remembered that lightning strikes are a real possibility.

The Prince then realized he'd be drenched if he went all the way back to Old Wrinkly's so Hiccup glanced upwards at the Great Hall. He figured it be a good place to lay low for a while. Hiccup was walking down a narrow dirt path on his way to the Great Hall. He was hoping to catch some alone time, but Fate was not to kind to the Prince. After walking up the tall stone steps. Hiccup made his way into the dimly lit Great Hall. He wasn't to soaked to the bone. But was indeed a wet shivering mess.

THE GREAT HALL

With a storm brewing outside. Hiccup made his way to the inner chambers as the Great doors of the hall began to rattle on their hinges. Again fate had decided to throw Hiccup a curve ball, as he saw Gobber and the young recruits sitting at one of the tables. Wonderful. They were discussing today's training. This day just kept on getting better by the minute.

"Alright. Where did Astrid go wrong in the ring today?" Gobber asked.

All the recruits glanced at each other confused, Astrid had performed the best out of all of them. They looked at her from there spots at the table, eating their lipids by the glow of the fire pit. Astrid with a very self-conscious look on her face said.

"I mistimed my somersault dive. It was sloppy. It threw off my reverse tumble." Astrid muttered indiginately.

Everyone from the group's eyes rolled. Ruffnut then said sarcastically.

"Yeah. We noticed."

"We did?" Dogsbreathe replied, sarcasm being not one of his strong suits.

Snotlout grabbed Astrid' s hand. Astrid gave a look of pure disgust.

"No, no, you were great. That was so 'Astrid'." Snotlout said.

Astrid pulled her hand away from Snotlout. Hiccup continued toapproach. Gobber then said.

"She's right, you have to be tough on yourselves." Gobber explained.

The Prince then stepped on a loose floor board, and it made a devilish creak. All eyes turned to Hiccup, who gave a somewhat sheepish look. But to be fair they had found him at a venerable time. Shivering and conflicted. While staring at Hiccup, Gobber the Belch asked.

"Where did nameless over there go wrong?"

Hiccup tried to take a seat at the table while Snotlout and his gang moved around to make sure the Prince doesn't get a seat.

"He smells like eels?" Speedyfist stated.

"He showed up." Ruffnut replied.

"He walked out on the lesson." Wartihog followed.

"He didn't get eaten." Tuffnut said.

The Prince eventually rolled his eyes and gave up trying to find a seat at that table as the recruits kept closing the gaps. So Hiccup sat at the vacant table next to them. Still not making eye contact with anyone. Astrid glared back at him, taking Cobber's words a bit more seriously than the rest of the recruits.

"He's never where he should be." Astrid stated plainly.

Hiccup held his head down low momentarily; all their words stung a dagger to the heart. When they came out of her mouth, it was even worse than that. The Blacksmith smiled down at Astrid .

"Thank you, Astrid."

Gobber the Belch stood up.

"You need to live and breathe this stuff." Gobber explained,he then pulled out a giant book out from underneath his tunic. He laid the overly huge sized book in the middle of the table. Every recruit looked over in somewhat wonder. But Hiccup was downright amazed, as he was with everything dragon related.

"The dragon manual. Everything we know about every dragon we know of." Gobber explained.

Hiccup stood up and glared in wonder as a rumble of thunder shock the hall. Rain poured down from the outside. Cobber listened carefully for a moment before strolling off.

"No attacks tonight. Study up." Gobber suggested said as he exited into the storm, leaving the teens staring at the book. Almost all of them scoffed at the book. Tuffnut was the first to speak with disapproval.

"Wait, you mean read?"

Ruffnut followed up.

"While we're still alive?"

Snotface Snotlout slammed his fists on the table and said.

"Why read words when you can just kill the stuff the words till you stuff about?"

Snotlout 's gang jeered in agreement. Fishlegs was practically frolicking with joy, he could barely keep his excitement under lock and key.

"Oh! I've read it like, seven times. There's this water dragon that sprays boiling water at your face. And there's this other one that buries itself for like a week…" Fishlegs explained.

The Young Hooligans stare at Fishlegs a little weirded out, he had gone on for too long. Then he started going on about, Stone Dragons and Nameless Kings. Tuffnut got up from his seat and then responded.

"Yeah, that sounds great. There was a chance I was gonna read that…"

Ruffnut followed after her twin brother.

"But now…"

Snotlout got up and his gang followed after him.

"You guys read. I'll go kill stuff."

The others follow with Fishlegs in tow, far too caught up in what he was talking about.

"Oh, and there's this other one that has these spines that look like trees." Fishlegs explained.

The Prince and Astrid where the last to leave, for a moment they didn't say a word to each other. Hiccup was about to pick up the book when Astrid stood up.

"Hey." Astrid said attempting to get Hiccup's attention.

Hiccup glanced up casually at her and put on a face that poorly hid his conflicted mind. It was so much easier as the Prince when his face was covered with a helmet and his voice near impossible to hear.

"What's you're deal?" Astrid asking, pointing an inquisitor finger at Hiccup.

"What are you talking about?" The Prince replied, still refusing to look directly at her.

"You, you nimrod. Your fully able to kick Snotlout 's arse in a heartbeat. You know your way around a sword and an ax. You're a nimrod, but not an idiot. So tell me, what exactly happened today?" Astrid asked putting her hands on her hips.

Hiccup took a deep breath and leaned forward, both hands on the table. He seemed to struggle to contain himself.

"What are you saying?" Hiccup asked, feigning ignorance.

"My point is you're not a coward, you even ate a Whispering Death, but in the arena you choked up." Astrid stated, the Prince began to chuckle, trying to evade the situation.

"Would you believe I'm all talk and no fight?" Hiccup mused.

"No, I wouldn't…" Astrid replied, becoming more irritated by the second. "You're avoiding my questions."

"It's a personal matter, one you need not concern yourself with." Hiccup muttered grimly. Hatred in his eyes. Astrid could tell it wasn't directed at her. Rather than continue to poke the bear, Astrid decided to leave well enough alone and left the Great Hall. Leaving Hiccup alone, the Prince sighed. Never before in his life had he felt so confused and helpless. Glancing back at the book Hiccup picked it up and found a nice spot to read. Of course, after lighting a few good candles so he could read clearly. Opening the well decorated book. Hiccup began to pour through the pages of illustrated dragons. All the while, the storm still boomed outside. The hall was a vacant dark place, save for the few candles Hiccup pulled together.

"Okay, show me what you got…" Hiccup muttered and began to read aloud to himself.

"Dragon Classifications. Strike Class. Fear Class. Mystery Class..."

Hiccup turned the pages and before randomly selecting one.

"Thunderdrum. This reclusive dragon inhabits sea caves and dark tidepools. When startled, a Thunderdrum produces a concussive sound that can kill a man at close range. Extremely Dangerous…kill on sight." The Prince's angry eyes drifted to a lurid illustration of decapitated Vikings. Hiccup did have one thing to say, humans did at least get all these facts correct and artistry could be on point at times. But as for the 'Kill on sight' thing. Hiccup felt an irritable pit form in his stomach. One that only grew every time he read those three spiteful words. Hiccup flipped to another page, and another dragon.

"Timberjack. This Gigantic Creature has razor sharp wings that can slice through full grown treesaC 1 Extremely Dangerous… Kill on sight."

The more Hiccup read, the more the illustrations seemed to come to life. Then again Hiccup had seen most dragons and person and had a clear understanding of what they looked like, personality and behaviors.

"Scauldron. Sprays scalding water at its victim. Extremely Dangerous-

The storm outside raged onward against the shuttered windows in a seemingly maniacal voice almost as if the harsh winds themselves were saying.

" _Let us in. Let us in."_

Hiccup was startled for a moment but pressed on.

"Changewing. Even Newly hatched dragons can spray acid. Kill on sight…"

Fed up with the whole kill on sight mantra. Hiccup began to flip through the pages. It's almost like watching a blur of dragons.

"Gronckle. Zippleback. The Skrill. Bone Knapper. Whispering Death Burns its victims. Buries its victims. Chokes its victim. Turns its victims inside out. Extremely Dangerous. Extremely Dangerous. Kill on sight, kill on sight, kill on sight."

Hiccup then landed on a very specific page.

"Night Fury."

Unlike the other pages, this one was not filled with as much content, no image, save for a few sparse details. The Prince then read to himself .

"Speed unknown. Size unknown. The unholy offspring of lightning and death itself. Never engage this dragon your only chance, is to hide and pray it does not find you…"

Hiccup reached into his vest and pulled out his Dragonese Book. He opened it to a drawing of Toothless. The Prince then smiled a bit.

"Unknown…I' m gonna keep it that way…" Hiccup muttered before letting out a loud yawn. He rubbed the bags under his eyes and began to find a comfortable position to sit and sleep. He was tired to say the least and was too lazy to go back to Old Wrinkly's especially with a storm outside. So Hiccup slept there in that position and dreamed an ever so pleasant dream.

 **HICCUP ' S DREAM**

 **THE RED DEATH'S LAIR**

 _The Prince laughed happily as he dreamed of being back in his element. Back in his Prince armor, feared by all. Hiccup, flew on the back of the Night Fury who in this dream still had his full tail. All the Prince could do was smile and laugh as he and the Night Fury flew through the foggy heights surrounding the Red Death's lair. But then Hiccup heard something, he heard the laughing of a girl. The Prince turned his head to see a girl in similar armor to himself riding on the back of a Deadly Nadder. She like Hiccup seemed to be having the time of her life. The Prince and the Night Fury landed on top a rocky ravine and watched the girl in armor on her Deadly Nadder. Hiccup in his dream like state didn't even bother asking who or what but more just watched in amazement and confusion. The Nadder did three somersaults in the air before landing on the same flat ravine as the Prince. Hiccup dismounted Toothless and wandered over to the girl as she did the same. Hiccup then took off his helmet almost instinctively, which was weird because he usually kept it on. The Prince got a closer look at her. She was about his height and her armor seemed a bit more spiked and well put together then his. But then the most shocking thing happened when the girl removed her mask. Hiccup went wide eyed and lost for words as he saw none other then Astrid Hofferson dressed in similar armor. Astrid then walked over to Hiccup and kissed him on the lips and nearly took his breathe away._

 _It was then Hiccup seemed to wake up and return to reality or so he thought. He appeared to be in a bed now and his armor was off to the side. The Prince smiled again though, he seemed to be back in familiar territory. Back in his home, with thousands of other dragons, with a glad smile Hiccup sat up in the bed and glanced over to see the Night Fury draped off the ceiling like a bat, snoring heavily. But then a thought hit Hiccup…why was there a lavish bed in the Red Death's lair? Hiccup usually slept with the dragons on the cold stone ledges. It was then someone from behind wrapped their arms around Hiccup and hugged him from behind. The Prince glanced over to see it was Astrid, again Hiccup went wide eyed. With a smile on her face, she asked in Dragonese of all things._

 _"What is it my love?"_

 _Hiccup gave a look of plain fear and then screamed in horror. So much horror that it woke him up._

 **THE GREAT HALL**

After a few hours of sleep. Hiccup woke up with a jolt. The Prince looked around, it was morning, and the rain had stopped. Thankfully he was still in the same chair he was last night. The Prince gave a sigh of relief before leaning back in his chair and saying.

"I need to get off this rock..." Hiccup muttered to himself.


End file.
